Otherworld
by Wonderful Failure
Summary: AU. Zell is the lead singer for a rock band, but what happens when he becomes torn between the booze, the drugs, his bassist, and his drummer? [Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall]
1. Between The 1st And The 40th Drink

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Otherworld

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Genre: Drama/Romance

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Classification: Epic

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Rating: R

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Pairings: Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall

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Warnings: AU, Alcohol Use, Drug Use, Language, Lemon

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Disclaimer: The _Final Fantasy VIII_ franchise is owned by Squaresoft

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AU. Zell is the lead singer for a rock band, but what happens when he becomes torn between the booze, the drugs, his bassist, and his drummer? [Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall]

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Author's Notes: Alright, I'm sure no one will even read this, but I'll write the first chapter and hope at least one person is interested. This is a story I've been thinking about for a few weeks. It's basically a comeback for me, since an old story of mine, "Age Ain't Nothin' But A Number" had to be cancelled when two punks decided to flame every single chapter. I'm an emotional person, and so I couldn't handle that. I had to let it go. Well, here's hoping that someone will enjoy this. If so, please read and review.

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Ch. 01

Between The 1st And The 40th Drink

[Zell's P.O.V.]

_"Uh, honey, bring it close to my. Uh, honey, bring it close to my lips, yeah."_

The raving dance music pounded through the loud speakers, sending sound waves throughout the entire club. Horribly amazing flashes of baby blue, indigo, neon green, yellow, hot pink, and violet created little rainbow worlds as the eager youths danced on.

_"It's gotta be big. It's gotta be big, I said."_

I was sitting at the bar. Looking into my drink more than I was looking out at the dance floor. Bloody Mary. It was nice. Ever since I was thirteen, I'd been a bitch for these things. They were great. I could just keep drinking 'em. Sometimes it was hard to stop.

I let my eyes roll back into my head a little as I drew back, bringing the glass to my lips. I felt the strong, tangy beverage run down my throat. I basically chugged it, and then wiped my mouth with my forearm. Nice.

"Hey," I said, nodding at the bartender. "Another Bloody Mary, man."

"I think you've had enough," he told me.

"I'll know when I've fucking had enough," I blurted, rubbing a hand at my eyes, getting annoyed. I already had a bad temper, and when I was fucked up like this, it was only worse. "Just give me a fucking drink."

"I've got regulations," he replied, his voice a little wary.

"Fuck your regulations. Give me a fucking drink."

"I, I don't think you can take another drink."

"Look. If you don't give me a mother fucking drink right now, I will fucking break you down when you're not looking. I will grab your face and slam it into the fucking concrete. I am _not_ playing."

"Alright, damn, cool it, cool it. I'll get you a Bloody Mary."

"Good."

With that, I slid my drink over him, folding my arms across my chest. I closed my eyes, writing in the whole club atmosphere. It was nice. I probably looked like a little bit of a raze boy. What, with the black t shirt, the neon orange fishnet long sleeve shirt, the baggy jeans, the layered belts, and all of the miscellaneous chains. I was decked out.

The bartender slid my drink back to me over the counter, and I caught it with a shaky hand. Man, had I really had enough? Was there a line to cross? If so, I'd probably crossed it long ago. So why should I slow up now?

I brought the glass to my lips, letting the alcoholic charged V8 move down my throat. The long techno remix twisted itself into a new song, something that was fairly familiar. Sounded like a remix of a song I'd heard a while back.

I let my gaze travel from the already near empty glass in my hand over to the dance floor. Even against the awfully brilliant flashing colors dancing throughout the room, I could make out the young people who were dancing wildly. Some were jumping up and down to the techno. Others were attempting to break dance. And some were just doing their own thing.

I saw Quistis doing her own thing. Man, she looked good. Even with that fucked up rainbow shit exploding against her, she looked good. Amazing, even. I couldn't help but stare. I saw her moving her hands through her shimmering blonde hair, shaking her hips to the smooth electronica beat. Of course my eyes drifted down to her tits. They were nice. She was showing some cleavage, too. Wearing a black spaghetti strap shirt with some weird graffiti writing on it. It looked great on her. My eyes trailed down to her hips. They looked nice. Hell, her entire bottom half looked just as good as her top half. That tight black skirt, those thin silver belts. Of course, her leather boots with those pin heels didn't hurt, either. Very sexy. I gave her full body a stare, watching the way she moved. The way her fingers trailed over the series of necklaces hanging around her neck. The way her hands seemed to run over every fine curve. I already had a boner. I was about to cream my pants. Taking this into consideration, I reluctantly looked away, staring back at the glass that was still in my hand.

Maybe I really did drink too much. Phew. I was kind of dizzy. Then again, it could've just been the loud ass music. And all of the colors flashing like crazy didn't help much, either. Rubbing my eyes with my hand, I pushed the glass away. I didn't want to make myself feel any worse.

I heard the bartender ask if I wanted a refill, and I just shook my head. I folded my arms across the counter, and rested my head. I breathed in.

"Get over it, Dincht," I told myself. "She's having fun. Can't take that away from her."

I craned my neck, pushing my head further into my folded arms. I closed my eyes.

Was it really a good idea to be here? I mean, I was far from innocent, but I didn't want to get too fucked up. I didn't want my band to get too out of hand. Oh, what did it matter? We were a fucking rock band. All rock bands did this occasionally. It's like, an unwritten law or something. I don't know. Maybe all of the alcohol had gotten to me. I wasn't making much sense anymore, not even to myself. With that thought hanging around, I let out a soft sigh. I just didn't know. It was kind of messy.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

I was surprised at myself. Normally, I wasn't much of a dancer. But all of the sudden, it came into me. I couldn't get enough of it. I'd been dancing for at least two hours, without a break. That normally wouldn't have been a big deal to hardcore clubbers, but I was wearing high heel boots. So, it was a pretty big deal to me. In fact, my feet were starting to hurt.

"I should probably call it a night," I murmured to myself.

I let my body follow up with the thought, eventually coming to a complete stop. I felt a little awkward, standing in the middle of the dance floor with all of those crazy rave boys and girls, throwing their hands high into the air, shaking their heads to the wild techno music. But that didn't really matter. My feet hurt, and I wasn't going to dance anymore.

I found myself a way out of the mess of dancers, stepping off of the dancing floor completely. I let out a relieved sigh. No more of _that._

Adjusting my eyes to the psychotic colors that I hadn't really noticed before, I scanned the nearby bar, looking for an empty seat. Thank Hyne. There was an empty stool right there, beside a boy with spiky blonde hair. Hoping that it was Zell, I headed over to the seat and claimed it as my own.

I rubbed a hand through my hair, glancing at the watch on my wrist. It was almost 3:30 in the morning. I chewed on my lower lip, giving a sidelong glance to the boy sitting beside me. I could see the very beginnings of a certain exotic facial tattoo, and instantly knew it was Zell.

Smiling softly, I directed my attention to a voice that had sounded in front of me. It was the bartender.

"Ahem, can I get you anything?" he inquired.

"Oh, um," I began, hesitating for a moment. "Just a shot of vodka, with a lemon wedge."

"Comin' right up."

I nodded, glancing right back over at Zell. He looked as if he were asleep. I felt kind of bad for the poor guy. After all, he'd been at the bar for at least an hour and a half. He'd only danced for a song or two. I hope I hadn't kept him out longer than he wanted to. I rubbed at my forehead, sighing a little.

I felt something cool gliding into my free hand, and quickly looked down at it. It was a shot glass of vodka with a lemon wedge pushed down onto the rim.

I smiled for a thank you, and instantly grabbed the small glass, bringing it up to my mouth. I chugged it, as unladylike as it was. Instantly taken aback by the powerful flavor, I brought the lemon wedge into my mouth, squirting it's sour juices onto my tongue. After I swallowed the lemon juice, I pushed the empty glass away, setting the lemon wedge's remains in it.

I rubbed my shoulders, staring down at the counter.

"Are you okay?"

I looked up. It was the bartender again.

"I'm fine."

"You look like you're kind of upset."

"Oh, thanks for the concern, but I'm okay. Really."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well, okay. By the way, do you know that guy?"

"What guy?"

"That guy."

He cocked his head a little to the side, signaling to my right. I glanced over, looking at Zell's slumped over form. I returned my gaze over to the bartender.

"Yes, I know him. Why?"

"He's been drinking for a long time."

"Damn. I'm sorry, I'm sure he started acting brash."

"A little bit. He wasn't too much of a problem."

"Well, I'm glad. Don't worry, I'll be taking him home. He'll be okay in the morning."

"Ha, I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"Hmm. Well, I'll get him home, anyway."

"Are you designated?"

"I'm not drunk."

"But you've been drinking, right?"

"Not very much."

"Sorry, I don't think that'd be a good idea. Is there anyone else here who could take you and your friend home?"

"Well, there's _one_ guy. I don't know where he is, though."

"What's he look like?"

"Brown hair, a little messy. He's got a scar right between his eyes, it's a little bit faded. He was wearing a see through black shirt with, um, some black leather pants, I think."

"Oh, the dude with the gothic get up, huh? I think I remember him."

"He didn't get anything to drink, did he?"

"No, he just asked where the restrooms were."

"And when did he ask you this?"

"A little over an hour ago."

"With all due respect, I seriously doubt he's still in the restroom."

"Well, there's more to do in the restrooms here than just piss or shit."

"I see. And what's so amazing about the restrooms here?"

"It's not really amazing, lady. It's just sometimes they're used for, uh, you know. Sex, drugs, that kind of stuff."

"If that's true, why are you suggesting I get him to take me and my friend home? If he's high, wouldn't that be just as bad as if he were drunk? You know, I think I'll be fine. I really appreciate your concern, though."

"Look, just, I'm not saying that's what he did in there."

"I'm, well, it's late. And I really don't want you backtracking all over what you just told me. I'll get us back home, okay? Thanks."

Before the bartender could protest, I turned away, shaking Zell's shoulders. I ignored the bartender's rushed words, no matter how considerate they were. I finally shook Zell awake, bringing him out of his little nap.

"What's goin' on?" he asked, his voice kind of muffled as he rubbed his mouth with his forearm.

"We're going home," I replied. "Look, we need to find Squall. Do _you_ know where he is?"

"Mmm. He, uh, um. Mmm, he said he was gonna go get something to eat at the McDonald's on the corner."

"When did he say this?"

"Not too long ago."

"Alright. Well, come on. Get up, get up. I'm surprised you even remember, Zell. You've had allot to drink."

"Yes, yes I have."

I supported Zell's weight with my shoulder, digging my heels into the floor as I stood up against him, holding him up. I gave him a sidelong glance, noticing the drunken look in his blue eyes. I couldn't help but smile a little bit, he was such a cutie. But I knew it was going to be a _bitch_ having to drag him all the way to the McDonald's. But the sooner I started, the sooner I'd get him there.

"Come on, Zell. We're going to McDonald's. Come on, Zell, walk with me."

"What? I'm…not too hungry. If I got anything, I'd probably barf."

"Well, we've got to get Squall. He's the only one who isn't messed up."

"You don't seem to be too messed up."

"Yeah, but it could kick in any second. That's why we've got to hurry the _fuck_ up."

Zell nodded into my hair, making the trip out of the club a little easier. I took advantage of this, and sped walk myself and him towards McDonald's.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

Crazy. I'd never really eaten much of McDonald's until I joined Zell's band. I guess it was one of his favorites, right after hot dogs. I smiled a little, wiping my mouth with a napkin. It was kind of lonely, sitting in the corner, with the big beats from the nearby club obvious, even here. It reminded me that _I_ wasn't allowed to have fun this time. Well, it was fair, I guess. We all took turns when we went out like this. It was for the best. And besides, Quistis never drank too much. She was always kind of a last resort in case Zell or I fucked up on our duty as the designated driver.

I sat back in my seat, looking up at the ceiling. Zell. Fucked up. Zell could fuck me up anytime he wanted. I don't know. It was fucking stupid, sure. I mean, he had the hots for Quistis, and she'd be stupid if she didn't' have the hots for him. Regardless, I couldn't interfere with that. Besides, I'm not even the right gender. Not that I'm too sure if my ass is all that different from a girl, but…

"Excuse me," I heard a female's voice.

I looked up, smiling meekly at a young employee with brown hair and emerald eyes.

"Yes?"

"Well, I noticed you'd come in from the club. Um, are you? Well, would it be safe for you to drive home?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean. I've been to the club a couple of times, and there's allot of stuff going on in there. You know, alcohol, drugs, stuff like that. Are you sober?"

"Yes, I'm sober."

"You're not stoned, are you?"

"No, I'm not."

"Good. 'Cause, like, if you are. You can totally tell me. I won't rat you out or anything. I'll even give you a ride to your place!"

"Thanks," I said, appreciating the gesture. "But, I'll manage. I'll be sure to think about it if me and my friends are in a bind, though."

"Cool! Um, the name's Selphie. Selphie Tilmitt."

She offered me a hand, which I politely shook.

"Squall Leonhart."

"Nice to meetcha!"

"Same here."

"So, like, man, you look really good. Like, you're not exhausted at all. Wearing those leather pants, I'm surprised you're not sweating like a pig!"

I laughed.

"Well, it's funny how things work out."

She nodded, smiling at me.

The door opened behind her, and we both looked to see who'd come in. Given, from the bunched up blonde heads, the wild rave clothes, and a certain wild tattoo, I knew it was Zell and Quistis. Selphie turned back and gave me a curious look. I nodded, telling her those were my friends without saying a thing. She smiled.

"Squall!" Quistis cried, practically dragging herself and Zell over to the table. "Squall, you have _got_ to take us home! Zell's drunk, and my feet hurt!"

"Hmm, what're the magic words?"

"Fuck you, jerk," Zell cursed into Quistis' shoulder, clinging onto her as if his life depended on it.

With that single comment, I was instantly split into two different phases. I was a bit aroused by the fact that Zell had said, _"Fuck you, jerk."_ Sure, he could fuck me anytime. Not that he ever would. But I also felt a little bad inside, a little sad. Watching Zell hold onto Quistis so tightly. That made me a little jealous. But that weak little smile never came off my face.

"Whatever," I said, standing up.

I signaled to Selphie with my hands, and then signaled to my blonde friends.

"Selphie, meet Zell and Quistis. Zell and Quistis, meet Selphie."

"Hello Selphie," Quistis greeted, smiling as she adjusted her weight under Zell.

"Yo," Zell said.

"Hey, guys!" Selphie cheered, running a hand through her brown hair. "Okay, you know what? I'd love to stay and bullshit with you guys, but I know you need to get home. It's late. So, maybe I'll catch you guys later?"

"Sure," I replied, smiling at Selphie. "In fact, you know, it's pretty strange, Selphie. You're not like most people. You're not freaking out in the presence of a rock band."

Selphie blushed, nodding meekly.

"Hehe, well, that's just me, I guess!"

By the extreme flush of red that painted her face, I knew she was embarrassed. She had just been trying to keep it cool to impress us. It was actually kind of cute.

"Okay, well, I think giving you our number would be out of the picture, but, I don't think this is the last you've seen of us."

"Would you shut the _fuck_ up?!" Zell screamed, nearly collapsing over Quistis. "We _want_ to go home!"

"Sorry," I said, nodding. "Okay, Selphie. Well, we'll catch you later."

"Bye!"

With that, I helped Quistis out by raising my shoulder up on the other side of Zell, supporting him between the two of us. It would be a bitch getting him to the car. After all, we'd parked at a parking lot that was three blocks away.

Sighing to myself, we trekked out of McDonald's and into the night, trying to keep Zell from falling flat on his face. After all, he was our lead singer. Couldn't deal with him having a black eye on that pretty face of his.

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Author's Notes: Okay, I'm sorry if it's really stupid or something. I really am trying with this story, though. I really want to make something of it. I have high expectations for it, but it's difficult to continue if I don't know that someone is actually reading it. So, please, read and review. I promise I will review one of your stories, and I always stick to my word. All you've got to do is read and review this story. It would mean so much to me. Thank you.


	2. And Stop For A Coffee

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Otherworld

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Genre: Drama/Romance

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Classification: Epic

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Rating: R

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Pairings: Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall

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Warnings: AU, Alcohol Use, Drug Use, Language, Lemon

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Disclaimer: The _Final Fantasy VIII_ franchise is owned by Squaresoft

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AU. Zell is the lead singer for a rock band, but what happens when he becomes torn between the booze, the drugs, his bassist, and his drummer? [Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall]

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Author's Notes: Thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed thus far. It means allot. You know, I review for those who review for me. I think it's only fair. Yes, I'll keep working hard on this story, as long as I know someone enjoys it. I'll try and keep it updated on a regular basis. And again, thank you.

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Ch. 02

And Stop For A Coffee

[Zell's P.O.V.]

Fuck. Not cool. Not cool at all.

This _pounding_ fucking _headache._

I knew it was a bad idea last night, drinking all those goddamn Bloody Mary's. I should've quit after a few, but I just kept at it. Come to think of it, I couldn't remember how many I actually had.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to kill the headache at the root. It helped a tiny bit, but not really. I'd have to take a shitload of aspirin. And _that_ was my _only_ excuse for actually getting out of bed.

I swung my legs to the side of my bed, rubbing the sides of my face, staring at my feet. Why was I such a fucking moron? I knew I should've stopped last night. I would've kept on drinking if I hadn't of crashed. Damn. Well, maybe it was just a blessing in disguise. It had to be.

I stood up, only to teeter a bit. Fuck. I had to get that aspirin, and fast. It was pretty pathetic. I had to fucking push my weight up against the wall, and kind of slide against it just to get out of my room.

"Hey!" I cried out. "Quistis? Squall? Get me some fucking aspirins! Like, six of 'em!"

I reached the corner of my room, and pushed my head into it. I pounded my fist against the wall a couple of times, laughing to myself.

"Ow," I murmured. "Haha, this is fucking priceless. Consequences, consequences."

I closed my eyes, running a hand through my hair. It was like a chainsaw sawing through my brain. Pain shot out in five thousand directions. Hell, pain shot out in more directions than I knew I even had. I needed those goddamn aspirins. Where the fuck was Quistis? Or Squall? Had they even heard me?

"Goddamn it!" I cursed. "Will somebody _please_ get me some fucking aspirins?! I have a _pounding_ headache!"

My voice sounded weird to me. Like it wasn't even me talking. My voice echoed inside of my head repeatedly, bouncing on every little muscle. I clenched my teeth, pushing up against the wall, trying to make it to my door. I had to move so fucking slow, because when my foot touched the floor, I felt a pulse of pain throb somewhere deep inside my head. I was about to fucking cry, I'm not even playing. It was like somebody had fucking beat my skull in with a hammer.

"I'm starting to get really fucking pissed off!" I yelled. "Somebody better _fucking_ get me-"

Before I could finish, I heard my door open. I looked up, expecting to see Quistis or Squall standing there with a handful of aspirins, but I didn't. It was Xu.

"Xu," I said. "Come on, did you hear me? Please tell me you got me some aspirins."

She smiled, opening up her hands. I saw those wonderful little tablets. My mouth practically watered.

"I got seven, just in case."

She handed them to me, then folded her arms across her chest. She craned her neck at me.

"Aren't you going to need something to drink?" she inquired.

"Nah," I replied. "I'll chew 'em. They'll react faster."

"But they taste _awful_!"

"Yeah, well you don't have to worry about that. You're my manager, not my mother."

Xu nodded, running a hand through her dark hair. She offered a meek smile.

I tilted my head back, and put four aspirins in my mouth. Right when they hit my tongue I could taste their absolutely bitter flavor. I started chewing right away, grinding them under my teeth. I gave Xu a desperate look, and she merely nodded.

"I told you they tasted awful."

I rolled my eyes, and finished chewing. Then I popped the last three in and chewed them up. After I had finished, I started rubbing my head. The headache was still there, of course, but it had already numbed up a bit.

"Are you sure taking seven aspirins is okay?"

I shrugged, still rubbing my forehead.

Xu put a finger on her chin, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Well, let's hope it's safe."

"It's not," I admitted. "But people have done worse and didn't get fucked up. Don't worry so much. So, where's Quistis and Squall?"

"They're practicing."

"Without me? Is that possible?"

"Well, I don't know. But you guys have got a concert tonight."

"What?!"

"You don't remember?"

"Fuck no!"

"Oh, come on. It's at the Majestic Theater. Is it coming to you now?"

"No."

"Oh, Zell! You'd better get in there and run over some songs, then. After all, the Majestic Theater is the biggest concert hall in the city. It'll do you guys good."

I folded my arms across my chest, hugging myself.

"Uh, alright."

"I don't know about you, sometimes. Regardless, I think you should really start practicing with your band mates."

"Yeah."

"Is your headache going away?"

"It's a little bit better, but not too much. I think I can walk, anyway."

"How long do you think it'll take?"

"Well, I took seven fucking aspirins, so hopefully not long. What time is our concert?"

"Nine, but you'll probably want to get to the Majestic Theater at about seven."

"And what time is it now?"

"About eleven in the morning."

"Do you think I've got enough time?"

"You tell me."

I rubbed my forehead, putting my free hand on my hip.

"Look, I'll go ahead and practice. Let's hope that my singing will make me forget I have this fucking headache."

"Okay. Zell, if it really starts to hurt, just come tell me. I'll be around. I don't want you to strain yourself."

"Yeah, you do."

Xu placed a hand to her chest, as if she were insulted. I flashed her a grin, and she realized I was just being a smart ass. She smiled. I gave her a nod, and was out the door.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

Well, it was kind of tricky. Having to try and practice for the show tonight without our singer. I sighed, strumming on my bass. It just wasn't the same without Zell. I gave Squall a look.

"Um, do you think this is really helping any?" I asked him.

"What do you mean?" he inquired.

"Well, don't we need Zell to _really_ practice? I mean, this just doesn't feel right."

"Yeah. I know, but, whatever. You heard what Xu said. _Big Alt_ is a major club, we had to have everything down just right."

"Hmm. I guess."

"The music's important too, Quistis."

"I know, I know. It's just, so weird without his vocals. I don't know. But I'll quit complaining."

"Yeah, you bitch too much."

"Excuse me?"

Squall laughed, obviously joking with me.

I rose an eyebrow at him.

"Mmm, well, just give me two seconds with you and I'll break your leg off and then-"

Before I could finish my play threat, the door to the studio opened. Squall and I turned to see a fairly flushed looking Zell standing in the doorway. His hair was messy, and he was still dressed in the clothes he'd slept in. Last night he was drunk as hell, so Squall and I had just taken off his clothes, down to a black t shirt and some navy blue boxers. I tilted my head at him.

"Zell? You're still in your boxers."

"Yeah, well if my cock pops out, so be it."

I grinned, toying with my bass.

"I see. Well, Squall and I have been _practicing_ for a little while. But I'm glad you finally decided to join us."

"Sorry," Zell apologized. "I've got a throbbing headache."

"That's what you get for drinking so much last night," I said.

"Really?" Squall butted in. "Damn, Zell. That's rough. I'm sorry. You know, if you don't want to practice with us, it's okay…"

"Squall!" I cried, turning to look at him. "You can't say something like that. We've got a concert tonight at the Majestic Theater. Xu said it's important for us."

"Yeah," Zell replied. "She told me the same thing."

Squall sighed, spinning his drumsticks in his fingers.

"Two against one," he muttered.

"Alright," Zell began, running a hand through his hair. "Do you guys have any idea what you want the set list to be tonight?"

"I wrote it out," I said, crouching down to pick up a neatly folded piece of paper lying at my feet. "Here."

I handed him the set list, and he unfolded it, his eyes scanning the list of songs we were going to perform tonight. Well, unless he had a different suggestion.

"Whoa," Zell said, a small grin on his lips. "Yeah. Yeah, this'll work. Really nice, Quistis."

I smiled, running a hand through my hair. "It's nothing. So, should we start practicing?"

"Yeah, let's just run through the songs."

Zell nodded, and gave Squall a look. I turned, also looking at him. Squall smiled, his eyes intent on Zell, a strange shimmer in his stormy eyes. I rose an eyebrow at him, though I don't think he noticed me. Zell cleared his throat, turned back to his mic, and tapped it with his hand.

"Alright. Okay, let's try this. One, two, three, four."

I heard Squall bringing his drum loop into the beginning of the song, and I habitually started strumming at my bass, sending little dark chords here and there, scattered throughout like little ripples. And then Zell injected his voice into the music, turning it into a song. Filling it with a certain energy that I just couldn't put my finger on.

I tapped my foot to the beat, giving Zell a small smile. He flashed me a grin, taking the mic off of the stand, giving him a little more freedom.

It brought back memories. Just standing here, in our recording studio, practicing away. We'd come a long way since then. Those wonderful days when we were just a group of high school students starting a garage band. We'd do little gigs in the high school auditorium, and we felt like that was the best there was. We were so gullible back then. But Zell had led Squall and I a long way. He never gave up, even when the first record label refused us. They said the lyrics were a little too strange, it wouldn't be mainstream. But here we were, five years later, a _successful_ underground band. Our first CD had gone platinum, and our second one was in the works. I, personally, was really looking forward to the concert tonight at the Majestic Theater. Well, maybe I was just looking forward to it because Zell really got into the music whenever he performed live. After all, he was amazing. Sexy, even. Phew, look at these thoughts. Just standing here, playing my bass as if I were an android programmed to do nothing but. And I'm still looking at him, smiling. I hope he wasn't getting suspicious. I mean, I hope he wasn't picking up on my staring problem. As long as he didn't know I liked him, it'd be okay. Huh? What? Damn. Well, it's out Quisty. Don't bother sweeping it under the carpet now. Of course I like Zell. When he was drunk last night, I would've _loved_ to taken advantage of him, but, I realized I would've regretted it later, so I didn't. But, it _did_ cross my mind. Well, which woman wouldn't have wanted to taken advantage of him? He was a god. After all, he _was_ a major rock idol. I'm sure there were even boys who wouldn't mind Zell fucking them. Whoa. Did I just say fucking? Hmm. Quisty, all that hanging around with Zell has rubbed off on you. Now you've got a dirty mouth yourself. Yes, but I know I'd much rather have my mouth dirty with something else. Like Zell's cum. Hyne! I just didn't stop, did I?

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

"How'd practice go?" Xu asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Great," Zell said, flashing her a toothy grin.

"That's wonderful! Oh, I'm so glad. I know the concert tonight is going to be a success."

"They always are," Quistis declared, wrapping he arm around Zell's necks.

"Right," I said, folding my arms across my chest, offering a small smile.

_Damn._ It hurt like hell to see her hands all over him like that. Even if it was just a friendly little embrace, my heat fell in a puddle of water whenever she did things like that. I couldn't take it. I waved a hand through the air. I really had to get away for an hour or two.

"Look," I blurted. "I think I'm gonna go swing by a coffee house and get something to drink. I could use a little fresh air."

"I think that's a great idea!" Quistis cried. "Oh, let's all go together! You should come too, Xu!"

I let out a soft, practically silent sigh. Quistis and Xu. Phew. Oh, fuck, Squall! You're an idiot. Zell will be coming, too! Damn. Mmm.

I nodded, leaning against the wall, smiling. I actually showed my teeth this time.

"Okay," Xu replied. "Yes, we have a little bit of free time. And we deserve it. Hell, I'll even pay."

"You better," Zell said, grinning.

Quistis, Xu, and I laughed.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

"This is _great_!" Quistis squealed, nearly chugging her cocoa mocha latte. I rose an eyebrow at her.

Zell grinned, bringing his cup of coffee to his lips. He chugged a pretty good amount, even though it was steaming hot. But my little musings only brought a smile to my lips. After all, isn't it like they say? People treat their coffee as they treat their sex. If someone enjoys coffee, well, they enjoy sex. And Zell _definitely_ enjoyed his sex. I mean, his coffee.

"And it wasn't too expensive," Xu replied, licking a little bit of whipped cream from her french vanilla latte.

"That's saying allot," Zell said. "Coming from a tightwad like you."

"What?!" she cried, playfully.

Zell and Quistis laughed. I grinned, still hooked on the word "tightwad." Damn. I really _was_ thinking about Zell in the sack, wasn't I? After all, I've got a tightwad for Zell any day. Phew.

Quistis and Xu quickly became involved in some obvious girl talk, with their loud, quick chatter, girly hand signals, and the religious switching of crossed legs. I smiled, turning my gaze to Zell.

"Girl talk," I muttered.

He looked at me, his fabulously blue eyes lighting up. He grinned.

"Yeah. It'll cause the end of the world."

"Most likely."

"So, want some boy talk?"

"Boy talk?"

"Sure. Girl's have girl talk, why can't boys have boy talk?"

"Well, we're twenty two. I'm a man, not a boy."

"Oh. Yeah, you're right. So, want to have some man talk?"

"I think it's called man to man, Squall."

He grinned at me, melting me from the inside out.

"Okay, let's have some man to man."

"Aight. So who do you wanna shag?"

"What?"

"Who do you wanna shag? You know, what girl do you wanna fuck?"

I smiled, although inside I didn't feel one hundred percent. After all, I wanted Zell to fuck me. I didn't want to fuck any girl. I don't think I could, even if I tried.

"Come on, man," he egged on. "You can tell me. Who is it? Xu? Oh, no, no, don't tell me. It's that, uh, that one chick who works at McDonald's, right? Lilly?"

"Selphie," I corrected him.

"That's it, dude! You wanna shag Selphie!"

Quistis and Xu glanced at me. I blushed.

"No, that's not it. You said her name was Lilly, and I was just correcting you."

"I bet," Zell said, slapping me on the back. "Way to go, man."

Quistis and Xu smiled at me, looking at me for a little bit, before turning back and continuing with their girl talk.

"Well," Zell began, leaning closer to me, lowering his voice. "I wouldn't mind gettin' a piece of Quistis. She's a fucking babe."

I felt my heart sink. I offered the weakest smile I'd ever given. In fact, it probably looked more like a frown. Oh, yes. It _was_ a frown.

Zell furrowed his brows.

"Yo, man. You look depressed. Somethin' wrong?"

"No," I lied, shaking my head.

"Don't pull that shit with me. What? Do you got a thing for her?"

"For who?"

"Quistis."

"Oh. Um, no. That's not it."

"Then what is it?"

"Nothing."

Zell leaned in even _closer_, and I could literally feel his hot breath on my face. It was nice, although bittersweet. Because I realized then that this was the closest we would _ever_ be. Zell wanted Quistis. He would never want me.

"What?" he whispered. "You want me to fuck you or something?"

My face went scarlet. I opened my mouth to say something, my mind screaming a refusal, but my libido jumping up and down in joy. I was torn between them. I couldn't say anything.

"Hey! I'm just kidding, man. You should see the look on your face!"

Zell laughed, pointing at me.

"Priceless," he said. "Just priceless."

I sighed, nodding. I picked up my cup of cappuccino, taking a sip from it. My head was a mess of various thoughts. I didn't know what to think. Zell had said he was joking, and he probably was, but he sounded so serious. Had he caught onto me? Had he found me out?

I looked up from my cup of cappuccino, only to be met with Quistis' and Xu's eyes, staring right at me. Little smiles planted right on their lips, as if they had known what was going on.

I rubbed a hand nervously through my hands, and nearly jumped when I felt Zell's hand slapping against my back.

"You're aight, man," he told me.

I offered a smile, looking up into his sapphire eyes once again. Suddenly, my smile turned into a bit of a grin. That was an amazing look in his eyes. The kind of look whenever he looked at Quistis. I knew I was jumping to conclusions to say that he liked me, but I think it was safe to say that we were extremely close, and that was always good. I suddenly didn't feel so cold inside. Instead, I started warming up, and felt perfectly well. I nodded, still looking at Zell.

"So are you," I finally said. "So are you."

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Author's Notes: Alright, there's the second chapter. Yes, I know there was allot of talking in this chapter, and not really too much action. I hope I didn't disappoint anyone, though. The reason this had so much talking was because I couldn't just leap into the concert, you know? I had to work up to it. And they had one hell of a time last night, I didn't want them going to a bar and having some huge fight. Well, not yet, anyway. Next chapter, expect to see a concert at the Majestic Theater, with songs by me. Don't worry, there will be some nice things happening in the next chapter. I've got allot of ideas for things to happen. I just had to build up to it, that's all. I hope I didn't scare anyone away. So, if you'd be so kind, please review. It'd mean so much to me, and I review for those who review for me. Thank you very much.


	3. Sure, That Star Can Twinkle

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Otherworld

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Genre: Drama/Romance

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Classification: Epic

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Rating: R

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Pairings: Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall

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Warnings: AU, Alcohol Use, Drug Use, Language, Lemon

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Disclaimer: The _Final Fantasy VIII_ franchise is owned by Squaresoft

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AU. Zell is the lead singer for a rock band, but what happens when he becomes torn between the booze, the drugs, his bassist, and his drummer? [Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall]

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Author's Notes: This chapter is dedicated to Maia, since she really seems to be enjoying this. After all, she's probably the only one who's going to be reading it, because www.fanfiction.net is stupid, and they never show any of my stories in the _Final Fantasy VIII _section, even though I update frequently. But I'm writing this for her, and I'm glad she likes this. If she's got any friends who are into _Final Fantasy VIII_, they might enjoy this story as well. Well, thanks to everyone who's reviewed, and a very special thanks to Maia for being such a good fan.

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Ch. 03

Sure, That Star Can Twinkle

[Zell's P.O.V.]

I looked into the mirror, staring right into my blue eyes. This is it, Dincht. Xu was right. This would be a great opportunity for us. I couldn't fuck it up. I folded my arms across my chest, craning my neck. Quit stalling. You've got a show to do.

I gave myself a long, cold stare, and then left the mild sanctuary the mirror withheld. I loved performing live, I really did. But it was so eggshell. You had no idea what could happen. With one little fuck up, one wrong comment, one loose beat. You just don't know, and it could be kind of scary at times. But I loved it way too much to just throw it away like that.

I could hear the muffled screams of wild fans as I got closer and closer to the stage where Quistis and Squall were already at. Their introductory beat was just a tease for the fans, and a tease for me, too. Once I got out there, that would be it. No messing up, no second chances. I had to do my best. Phew. That's it, Dincht. Keep walking. I looked down at my feet as I moved along, my ears listening carefully as the fans and the beat got louder. And louder. I was getting closer. I looked ahead, and saw the slightly open door at the very end of the hallway. It wasn't far now. Taking in a deep breath, I ran a hand through my spiky hair. I couldn't keep thinking on the negative side. After all, the glass was definitely half full. It'd be alright.

And so I pushed through the door onto the stage, and was nearly paralyzed by the explosion of neon blue lights that sparkled like shattered diamonds on the stage. I saw Quistis and Squall writing in the limelight, their bodies completely buried in pale blue. A huge grin instantly came to my face. All of the sudden, it felt so natural. The way our fans threw their arms into the air, screaming so loud it nearly drowned out the music. The way their faces lit up under the weight of the neon blue light effects. I walked across the stage, giving them a typical, "rock on," symbol. They cheered in approval. I ran a tongue across my teeth, and reached for my mic. I leaned forward, over it, staring out at them.

"How's it goin'?"

They erupted in applause. I grinned.

"First things first, I'd like to introduce to of my favorite people in the whole world," I began, signaling to Quistis. "This is Quistis Trepe on bass."

The fans screamed, and a few dudes even whistled for her. I couldn't blame 'em, though.

"Aight," I continued. "And this is the human turntable, Squall Leonhart on drums."

Once again, screams filled the concert hall. I grinned.

I tapped the mic, using my free hand to rub my bare chest. I turned back, flashing a grin at Quistis and Squall. They knew what that meant. It was time to start this shit. No fuck up's, Dincht. Gotta work your ass off. And I planned on just that.

I started tapping my foot, catching the feel of the song I knew so well. I heard Quistis' dark, almost demonic sounding bass chords. It sounded like something straight out of a _Silent Hill_ game, with Squall's fairly soft, almost creepy drum beat slowly crawling in and out of the alternative cords. I ran a tongue across my lips as the fans erupted like a series of volcanoes, their lava of approval burning me like fire straight from Hell.

I wrapped my hand around the mic, bringing it closer to my lips. I looked down as a world of darkness fell on the audience, the explosions of pale blue bathing me as if I were being baptized. I breathed into the mic, it was so intimate. It was just me and the music. It was like we were melted into each other or some shit.

I held in a final breath, and started singing, my voice low and cold.

"And you've smelled the fear in me. And how you're paper cutting me. The ribbons layin' at my feet. Maybe when I'm older I'll understand. It's in your hands, but my china heart is such a mess. I might break."

I let out a low breath, pulling the mic away, bringing to my lips, walking away from it's stand, moving as the rhythm picked up pace a bit, breaking into the chorus, with fucked up bass chords and hard drum action. I started rocking my head up and down, screaming into the mic.

"Nasty as you'll be! Come on, do me! I've set a bomb! 'Cause maybe you're a bitch, and I'm used to it! I said, a bitch, and I'm used to it!"

I grinned as I heard a series of cheers, and gave Quistis and Squall a look. They were enjoying this just as much as I was. I brought the mic back to my lips, looking back at the obsolete darkness where our fans were.

"This time I'm all for democracy. It's another side of me. 'Cause you're lovin' me after you're killin' me, and I wipe my mouth. 'Cause you can copulate. And it's gettin' late. Your ultra demon blood. You know, it's fine. Wastin' my time."

I tapped my foot, took a few steps back, and started rocking my head as the beat picked up, screaming so loud into the mic that I could feel the veins showing in my neck.

"Nasty as you'll be! Come on, do me! I've set a bomb! 'Cause maybe you're a bitch, and I'm used to it! I said, nasty as you'll be! Come on, do me! I've set a bomb! 'Cause maybe you're my favorite planet crashin' into my world! I said, the way the rubber bounces off the girl! I said, and you keep givin' me your sex, your sex excuses, and I said, nasty as you'll be! Come on, do me! I've set a bomb! 'Cause maybe you're a bitch, and I'm use to it! I said, a bitch, and I'm used to it! I said, a bitch, and I'm used to it! I said, a bitch, and I'm used to it! I said, a bitch! A bitch! A bitch! A bitch! A bitch! A bitch, and I'm used to it!"

I let out a long, hard breath, and listened as the audience screamed in approval, and I heard lots of whistles sound out. I grinned, rubbing my forehead, surprised to see there wasn't much sweat up there. I licked my lips and ran a hand across my neck. I looked back at Quistis and Squall. The next song would be a bitch, and I knew it. Hell, I think even Quistis knew it. After all, she had backup vocals in it. But she was the one who had written the set list, so she knew this was coming. I nodded, tapping the mic. Quistis started off the song with her bass, a cool sounding rhythm that didn't sound anything like the last song. This time, it was almost somewhat ambient. It had a strangely relaxing sound. The fans recognized the song instantly, and began cheering. I swallowed, and then brought the mic back to my lips, once again.

"Words undoin' this," I began, my voice softer than before. "I'm not virginized, so, I shouldn't be pissed. I tend to take my word without a second thought. Such a tricky thing. It's gonna wash me clean. I've got an angel hangin' out back. And there's a demigod cuttin' slack. Oh, but to get off on a drink. How to jump in before I think."

I gave a little hop, leaning forward, peering into the world of blackness where my friends were listening intently. Quistis started getting sloppy on her bass, letting the chords sound a little fucked up. Squall brought in a rough drum beat, bringing the ambient rock song into it's chorus. I continued singing, rocking on the heels of my feet a little bit.

"And I'm losin' it, and I'm losin' it. Things like this. Yes, I'm sure it's a freefall, but don't rub it in. And I'm losin' it, and I'm losin' it. I'm navy blue. Yes, I'm sure it's a face first, but don't rub it in."

Our fans screamed triumphantly, obviously enjoying this just as much as we were. I smiled, but it got me right here, somewhere inside. This song had a special place with me. Just, I had written it when I was having a rough time. It meant allot to me. I heard Quistis' bass chords return to a cool, ambient rhythm, and Squall's drum beat bleed into a calm little rock loop.

"Depressed, got me sad in a plastic world," I sang, rocking to the beat as Quistis' threw in some backup lyrics.

"Well, well, watch where you're cryin'," she almost breathed, her voice cool as ice.

"And I don't understand it," I continued. "But I'm slowly changing. And I just adore razor diamond whores."

"Well, well, watch what you wish for," Quistis sang, still working on her bass.

"It's a nasty mess," I said against the beat, grinning. "What comes after this?"

Then I heard Quistis breathe in, and her voice came out with mine as she finished up the second verse, both of us singing at the exact same time, almost like a duet.

"I got my blood all horizontal. I'm so high I'm on a vertical. Oh, but my weekly acid high. The tears without the cry."

I jumped up, rocking as Quistis' bass fucked up and Squall brought in his hard drum beat.

"And I'm losin' it, and I'm losin' it. Things like this. Yes, I'm sure it's a freefall, but don't rub it in. And I'm losin' it, and I'm losin' it. I'm navy blue. Yes, I'm sure it's a face first, but don't rub it in."

I breathed in long and hard, this next line would be kind of rough. I closed my eyes for just a second as the beat built down, only to come back as major fucked up, as it were being played backwards or something.

"I hurt, I hurt, I hurt," I growled.

And then I let out a long, hard breath as Quistis and Squall let their instruments quietly die away, bringing the song to a sad end. I closed my mouth, and nodded as our fans screamed. I turned back, grinning at Quistis and Squall. They grinned back.

I ran a tongue across my lips, staring out at the world of darkness where the audience was perched, probably like gargoyles hanging onto a tall building. Before the show, I had felt so nervous about this. About fucking up, about not giving it my all. But all of those insecurities had disappeared after that song with Quistis. Just hearing her voice brought me out of that. I could feel it in my heart, a sense of comfort that put me at ease. Even standing on that stage, with the neon blue raining down on me, standing here shirtless in front of hundreds, maybe thousands of people. None of that mattered. Everything just felt so right. I knew, then and there, that the rest of the show would go smoothly. It was a success.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

"Dammit!" a fan screamed. "Oh, shit! I can't believe I'm actually meeting Otherworld!"

A swam of fans crowded around us at the meet and greet, like an ocean of hungry humans, desperate to get the last meal there would ever be. It was strange. Back then, I never would've thought that something like this would've happened to us. We used to just be some little garage band that Zell had started. We'd come a long way since then.

"Man!" a male fan cried out. "Quistis so fucking sexy!"

I placed my hands on my hips, raising an eyebrow at our fans. I wrapped my arms around Zell and Squall's shoulders as they signed various autographs.

"You guys rule!" someone yelled.

I craned my neck and looked down at Zell's hand as it moved furiously across the cover of our first album, signing his name. I looked over and saw Squall signing some girl's t shirt.

Suddenly a young boy, probably about sixteen, found his way to the front of the crowd. He shoved his autograph book and a pen towards me. I looked down at him, and flashed him a sweet smile. I let go of Zell and Squall and took his autograph book and pen.

"And what's your name?" I asked him.

"Nida Garland," he said. "N, i, d, a. G, a, r, l, a, n, d."

"Okay, Nida."

And with that, I gave him my autograph. I put, "To Nida Garland, a wonderful fan. I wish you the best, Quistis Trepe of Otherworld."

I smiled and handed Nida his autograph book back. He flashed me a grin for his thank you, and disappeared back into the crowd.

And even though it was already almost midnight, I knew we would still be there for at least another hour. But all in all, it was worth it. By the looks in Zell's and Squall's eyes, I knew they felt the exact same way. This was the life.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

"Ugh," Zell groaned, collapsing onto a seat in the tour bus. "I am fucking exhausted."

"Me too," I agreed, sitting down, putting my feet up on the seat. "Damn. That was quite a show."

"You're telling me," Squall mumbled, falling onto a nearby seat. "My hands hurt so much from all of that drumming."

"But you guys did absolutely wonderful!" Xu cried, slapping her hands together. "I'm so impressed with all of you. That was the best show I've ever seen."

"You're just saying that 'cause you're our manager," Zell said, rubbing his eyes.

"That's not true," Xu protested. "You guys really did do a great job out there."

"Thank you," I said, nodding in agreement. "I think we all tried our best."

"Yeah," Squall said. "But I think I'd like to take it easy now."

"You said it!" Zell cried out as our driver began to put the bus into motion, taking us away from the Majestic Theater's parking lot. "Fuck yes! I could so go for a Bloody Mary right about now."

"No, no, no," Xu refused. "That's not going to be happening, Zell. Remember this morning? You woke up with a massive headache and had to take seven aspirins. I don't think you'd want to do that again."

"Oh, yeah," Zell realized. "Psh. Damn. Well, at least get me a Dr. Pepper or something. I'm thirsty."

"Yes," I agreed. "My throat's dry."

"Mine too," Squall chimed in.

"_What_?!" Zell cried out. "_Your_ throats are dry?! _I'm_ the one who did all of the singing!"

"Hey!" I protested. "_I_ did backup vocals."

"Yeah, yeah," Zell muttered. "Anyway, let's get some fucking sodas already. I really have to drink something."

"Yes," Xu agreed. "That would be a good idea. In fact, I'm kind of thirsty myself. We'll stop by the nearest gas station and get something to drink."

"_We'll_ stop by?" Zell inquired. "Haha, I'm staying in the bus."

Squall nodded in obvious agreement. I would've liked to stay with Zell, but since Squall had already vouched for that, and I didn't want Xu to have to go all alone, I decided I'd tag along.

"Don't worry, Xu," I replied. "I'll go with you."

"Thank you," she said.

And with that, the tour bus moved along, heading towards the nearest gas station so Xu and I could get some sodas.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

"Aren't you coming in?" I asked Zell, standing at the front of the tour bus as Xu and Quistis headed up to our place.

He didn't say anything.

I looked over at him, through the darkness of the bus. I could only see his silhouette against the moonlight that poured in through the windows.

"Zell?" I inquired.

"Huh?" he murmured.

"You're coming in, right?"

"Nah. I'm gonna stay out here for a little while longer."

"Oh, okay. Um, do you mind if I keep you company?"

"Not at all."

"Okay," I said, walking over and taking a seat beside him. "So, what's on your mind?"

"What's on my mind?"

"Yeah, what's on your mind?"

"What kind of a bullshit question is that?"

"You look like you're thinking about something."

"Oh, haha. Well, maybe."

"You can tell me."

Zell let out a sigh, and shook his head. It looked like he was brushing my question away. He looked outside, staring at the starlit night.

"It looks amazing out there," I said quietly.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Wanna get a better view?"

"What?"

"Wanna get a better view?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on," Zell said, standing up. "Let's climb up on top of the bus."

"What?"

"You heard me. Let's go."

I wasn't going to complain. Sure, Zell was dominating, but it was a turn on for me. I had no complaints whatsoever.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

I stared up at the wonderful explosion of stardust and little astral treasures hanging in the sky. The starlit sky was a gift from another galaxy, literally. It really was beautiful. Now I understood why Zell wanted to get a better view.

I looked at him. He was lying there, with his arms folded beneath his head. His wonderfully blue eyes were staring at the world of stars that hung above us. As much as I tried, I couldn't concentrate on his eyes. I couldn't help myself as I started checking him out.

Moving down to his slim, hot, compact body. That wonderfully hard chest. That smooth, sxy six pack. That adorable happy trail. The obvious hint of the black boxers he was wearing beneath his jeans. I looked down even further, looking at his crotch. It looked amazing, even behind his jeans. I reluctantly let my eyes travel back up to Zell's eyes.

Oh, this isn't happening. This is just a bad dream. Isn't it? It's got to be.

Zell was staring _right_ at me. A strange shimmer in his eyes. I knew, then and there, that he had caught me checking him out. How humiliating.

"I'm," I breathed. "I'm, I'm sorry. I, I didn't mean to."

"You were checkin' me out?" Zell inquired, instantly sitting up. He gave me a strange look. "Are you gay?"

"No!" I lied. "No, I'm, I'm not. Why would you say that?"

"Because you were looking at my crotch."

I blushed a horrible shade of red.

"You're gay, right?"

"No."

"Stop lying to me. Hey, man, it's cool. Like, would you suck my dick if I wanted you to?"

"What? No, no, stop."

"I bet you would."

"Whatever."

"Come on," Zell said, standing up, fumbling with his jeans, unbuckling them. "I bet you'd suck my dick. You wanna?"

I shook my head, giving Zell a disgusted look, even though inside I was screaming in ecstasy. Of course I wanted to suck his dick, then have him fuck me with it.

I looked up, noticing the huge bulge in Zell's revealed boxers. I set my gaze on his face, and saw the huge grin he had. Then it was clear that he was joking.

"Dude, I'm just _playing_ with you!" he cried, kneeling down, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Don't mind me, I know I'm givin' you a hard time lately. You're kind of quiet. Are _you_ sure _you're_ okay?"

I just nodded, not really able to say anything.

"It's been a long night. Let's go in, okay?"

I nodded again, and followed Zell off of the bus, and back into our place.

_What a night._

Everyday Zell's little comments and now, even his actions were getting a little serious. It was insane. Though, I'm not sure if I disliked it or not. If I had to give a short answer, I'd say that I liked it. It was a turn on. Zell was sexy, and even though he said he had a thing for Quistis, that seemed a little iffy to me. After all, even though Zell always ended up grinning and acting like it was a joke, his little games with me were getting closer and closer to home. And somewhere, deep inside, I think he enjoyed it just as much as I did. Or maybe it's just my libido talking. Maybe I'm just being a little too optimistic. I don't know anymore. I've seen the looks he and Quistis give each other. I should quit jumping to conclusions. Ugh, I'm thinking too much again. I need to go to sleep.

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Author's Notes: Alright, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Once again, this chapter is dedicated to Maia. And if she keeps giving me those wonderfully long reviews, I think I am going to dedicate this entire story to her. And yes, if you give me a review, I'll give you one in return. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I'll keep this updated regularly.


	4. Beene's Got Some Pot

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Otherworld

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Genre: Drama/Romance

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Classification: Epic

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Rating: R

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Pairings: Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall

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Warnings: AU, Alcohol Use, Drug Use, Language, Lemon

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Disclaimer: The _Final Fantasy VIII_ franchise is owned by Squaresoft

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AU. Zell is the lead singer for a rock band, but what happens when he becomes torn between the booze, the drugs, his bassist, and his drummer? [Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall]

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Author's Notes: Thank you to all of those who reviewed. And Maia, you really do keep me going. I know you'll always be there to review for me. I'm still checking out your Pokemon story, I don't care what you say, hehe. Regardless, she had asked me what my inspiration was for the songs in Chapter Three. It's simple, I listen to my favorite singer, Tori Amos frequently. Her strange lyrics always inspire me, which is a wonderful thing, seeing as I'm in a band, myself. In fact, I don't really listen to anyone _but_ Tori Amos. I don't watch MTV, VH1, or even listen to the radio. Yes, I'm obsessed with her. But many of the people here are obsessed with a video game character, so I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Just about as obsessed as I am with Maia and her fabulous reviews. I love her, I'm going to give her the biggest hug in the world. And also, a very special thanks to YukaYuka, because she seems to be enjoying this as well. Okay, I'm going to shut up now. Here's Chapter Four. Please enjoy.

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Ch. 04

Beene's Got Some Pot

[Zell's P.O.V.]

_Fuck._ And that's all that I could say. _Fuck._

I'd waken up this morning with a major craving to get royally fucked up, and I sure as hell did. I'd gotten Quistis to sweet talk an underground friend into getting us some fine ass weed. It was sweet as hell. Even the fucking smoke smelled sweet, can you believe that?

I held it between two of my fingers like a cigarette, and took a long, hard drag. I kept the smoke in my mouth for a few moments, taking in the wonderfully sweet flavor. Then I exhaled, watching as the pale gray smoke sifted out of my mouth as if I had a fire set off somewhere deep inside of me.

I passed it to Quistis, and she instantly obliged. She smoked almost as well as I did, which was a bit of a surprise. She looked so sexy, innocent, even. She didn't seem like the kind of girl who could handle pot.

"You did good," I said, resting my arms on the couch as I sit back. "You did real good, Quistis. This shit is nice."

Quistis exhaled, raising an eyebrow at me, still looking gorgeous behind the thin mist of sweet smoke.

"I know," she boasted, handing the blunt to Squall. "It leaves a sweet aftertaste in your mouth. Isn't that right, Squall?"

I grinned as I looked across the table to Squall. He held it between his fingers almost as skillfully as Quistis and me. I nodded, watching as he inhaled the smoke, letting it stay in his mouth for a little bit. Then he breathed out, exhaling. I ran a tongue across my lips.

"Yeah," he said.

"_Yeah_?" I scoffed. "Bullshit. It's fucking awesome."

Squall laughed, handing me the blunt. I reached out, taking it skillfully between my fingers. I brought it to my lips, taking a longer, harder rag than before. I swirled the smoke around in my mouth before letting the smoke practically bleed out of my mouth, slowly. It'd taken me years to master that. And I looked _so_ fucking cool when I did it. I grinned.

I heard Quistis groan when I brought the blunt up to my lips again. I took another drag, almost swallowing the smoke that sat in my mouth. I looked at her, staring her straight in her eyes as I exhaled slowly. I couldn't help but still grin as I kept staring at her, the smoke becoming a veil between our faces.

I handed the blunt out to her, holding it between my fingers. I felt my grin fade into a smile, feeling kind of stupid as I sat there, just looking into her eyes. I kept staring. They were so blue. Like the waters coming up against the beach. It didn't matter, I didn't have to feel like an idiot. Because she was staring at me the same exact way. The smoke had drifted away. It was gone now, it'd completely thinned out. It was just me and Quistis, staring at each other. Damn, she looked so good. How could she just sit there like that? How could she stand hanging around with me? I mean, I was such an idiot back then. Just, that stupid garage band ordeal. Sure, back then, it was cool. And even still, it's what got us here. But, looking back, I feel like a jackass. Quistis could've gone onto bigger and better things. It didn't make any sense.

_Dammit._

A razor sharp pain struck my fingers, and I looked down to notice that the neon orange ash had gotten me. I instantly threw the stupid thing into the ashtray. I waved my hands in mild pain and clinched my teeth, trying not to curse.

"Fuck," I blurted, breaking the silence.

I heard Squall chuckle. I shook my head, looking back up at Quistis. She still had her sapphire eyes intent on me. I searched her face for a sign of laughter, the slightest smile. There was nothing. She was completely serious. Completely statuesque. I felt something warm inside of me. I shook it off, leaning forward a little bit in my seat on the couch. Man, what was this?

I noticed Quistis was leaning forward too, coming closer to me. I craned my neck slightly, narrowing the gap between us. She leaned forward, almost bending her entire upper half, and slammed her mouth into mine. I could feel her tongue struggling to get into my mouth, but I pushed mine forward, massaging the insides of her mouth. I put my hand up on the side of her face, stroking her cheekbone. I felt her hand rub the back of my neck, moving up slowly to play with my hair. She craned her neck in one direction and I craned mine in the other, causing our tongues to fight each other in a horrible battle of the sexes. Our breathing had become extremely heavy, we were basically panting like dogs in each other's mouths. It was so fucking hot. I could feel the sweat building beneath my fingertips as I caressed her face. It made me wonder if she could feel my hair getting slick. She moaned into my mouth, which only got me sprung. I was a fucking rock. I suddenly let out a long, hard moan when I felt her hand rubbing on my crotch.

"Mph," I managed when Quistis basically lunged at me, pushing me back onto the couch. She was lying on top of me, shoving her tongue deep into my mouth. I kept pushing my tongue beside it, into her mouth, making her moan inside of my mouth. I thrust my hips up into her, grinding her with my hard cock. She moaned hard, making me do it again. And again. Fuck, just dry humping her like this was about to push me over the edge.

I ran my hands down along to her back, grabbing onto her soft, firm ass. I pushed it down, onto my crotch, making both of us moan from the immense pleasure. And this was sex with _clothes_ on. I wasn't too sure if I could handle sex _without_ any clothes.

"Oh, Zell," she breathed, rubbing my chest.

"Quistis," I groaned, wrapping my forearms around her slender waist.

Suddenly, I felt a hot sensation building up in my boner. I knew I was about to cum.

"Baby," I murmured into her mouth, our tongues still fighting. "I'm about to cream myself, baby. I'm about to cream my pants."

"Good," she moaned, rocking into my crotch, pushing me off of the ledge. I came long and hard inside of my pants, breathing heavily as I felt the hot liquid get caught in my pubes and boxers.

I laid there, sweating, not really understanding what had just happened too well. But I wasn't about to complain. _That_ had been fucking _awesome_.

I put my arms behind my head and looked up at Quistis, who sat up, straddling my waist. I grinned up at her, but she didn't grin back. She offered me a tiny smile, leaned down, gave me a peck on the lips, and then climbed off of me. I sat up on the couch, watching as she left the living room. Had I done something to piss her off? What the hell?

I shook my head, not really understanding the situation, and then finally realized something. Squall. Squall had left. He had been here earlier, but, when Quistis and I started kissing, I guess he'd left. I sighed. That really wasn't too cool of me to just start acting like that with Squall around. Suddenly, I felt like a fucking prick. I rested my head back, and thought about it for a few seconds. Should I go check on him? Would that make anything better? I wasn't sure. But I knew that I had to do something, I couldn't just brush it away. So after deciding to go make sure Squall was doing alright, I got off of the couch. But I was going to make a quick side trip to the bathroom. After all, I had wipe the cum off from my boxers. It was kind of messy.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

The water felt nice, falling down onto my naked body like that. I rubbed a single bar of soap along my arms, making a nice, fluffy lather. I washed myself clean, letting the hot water dance in little fountains all over my skin. I was still a little in shock about what had happened. All I could do was hope that it was the blunt that had made me do it. If it had _really_ been me, well, then I felt kind of easy. It didn't matter how much I liked Zell. I had no right to just, dive on top of him like that. It was like I was a bit dirty. I don't know. I just felt the horrible need to shower after that strange encounter. No, it wasn't Zell's fault at all. I knew that. I just couldn't help myself. It was like there was something that had taken a hold of me. It must've been the blunt. It was the only thing that made sense. I, myself, had more logic than that. At least, I thought so.

I ran my hands through my hair, letting the coconut scented shampoo foam up between my fingertips. I gently clawed my hair, streaking it with the shampoo. I felt the wonderful fragrance of coconut fill my nostrils. I smiled at nothing. Maybe I was smiling at the thought that I was probably a little high. Maybe I was smiling at the thought that I had made Zell cum. I wasn't really positive.

I ran my hands through my hair to wash the shampoo out, looking at my feet as some of the foamed remains landed on my toes. The water washed it away, into the drain. Washed everything away. I wish it could wash this dirt away. It was kind of ironic, wasn't it? Water could put out the most horrific blaze, but it couldn't put out that feeling of shame you get when you've done something and you don't really understand why.

I turned the water off and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a nearby towel. I dried my hair off first, then moved to my arms, and eventually made my way down to my feet. Then I wrapped the warm towel around my body, revealing just a little bit of cleavage, and allot of leg. I looked into the mirror, my hair looking a bit rough, just a tiny darker than it usually was due to my recent shower. I didn't really recognize my face. I looked kind of like a stranger, even to myself. There was just something about me. I looked into my eyes, I could literally see a distant sadness inside of them. Why? What was so wrong about what I had done? I knew it had been the weed. It just had to have been. I'm twenty three years old, Zell is twenty two. And it's not like it was rape or molestation or anything. Neither one of us forced each other to do _anything_. It was totally consensual, and I knew that. I really needed to get out of this little slump. There was no reason to be upset. It had just happened so quickly, that's all. Neither one of us were at fault, because there was nothing to be at fault about. Everything was fine. Both of us were just a little high. Nodding at my reflection, I saw that little sparkle return to my eyes. I smiled.

Then I headed out of the bathroom, down the hall, and into my bedroom. After I shut my door, I dropped my towel. I headed straight to my dresser, and pulled out some panties and a bra. Then I moved over to my closet, and pulled out a red halter top and some blue jean shorts that were short, tight, but surprisingly comfortable. They were kind of like hot pants. After I got dressed, I grabbed some cute red sandals with various straps, and waltzed over to my bed. I collapsed onto it, letting out a sigh of contentment as I hit the soft mattress. I cuddled up with my pillows and let out a soft yawn. I was going to rest just a little bit. After all, I wanted to just relax a little bit after what had happened. Later tonight, I would have no problem with going out and doing something. But right now, I just needed to take a little catnap.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

I looked through a veil of tears when I heard someone knocking at my door. I sniffed, instantly wiping at the silly tears in my eyes. I was such a loser.

"Come in," I said weakly, running a hand through my messy hair. I looked over my shoulder, only to see Zell walking through the door. I felt something weird inside of me. I stared at him as shut the door behind him.

He stood there, showing me his palms. He furrowed his eyebrows, obviously concerned about something.

"What?" I asked, although a bit coldly, not really liking the edge to my voice.

Zell pushed his hands into his pockets, walking towards me. I moved my gaze down to his feet. He was barefoot. I really didn't want to look into his eyes.

"Squall," he said in a surpassingly soft tone. I let out a soft sigh, realizing I had to look into his eyes. I looked up from his feet, past his baggy jeans, past his tight wife beater, and into his shimmering blue eyes.

"Zell," I murmured.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened back there. I know I'm a jackass, a piece of shit, all that. I know, so, I'm sorry. Really."

"You're not a jackass, Zell. You're not a piece of shit, either."

"Then why were you crying?"

"What?"

"Your eyes are red. You must've been crying."

"That's, that's not it at all. There was just something in my eye."

"Don't give me that shit. Tell me the truth, Squall. Were you crying?"

"No."

"The _truth_, Squall."

"Fine. Yeah, I was crying. What's it to you?"

"I'm sorry."

All of the sudden, Zell wrapped his arms around me, bringing me into a warm embrace. I'm sure it was just a physical apology, according to him, but it seemed kind of romantic to me. But of course, he pulled away.

"I'm sorry," he echoed.

"It's no big deal."

"Then why were you crying?"

"Because."

"Because of what?"

"I don't know."

"Did you feel left out?"

"Kind of."

"What? You want Quistis? I thought you wanted Xu."

"No, no. It's not like that. It's just, I don't know. It's hard to explain."

"I'm here for you."

"Thanks, but I'm fine."

"I don't think so."

"Quit worrying about me. Aren't you supposed to be the bad ass one?"

"I still am."

"Prove it."

I forced a smile, really just playing with Zell. But all of the sudden, he took a step up to me, grabbed my ass and slammed me into him, with his package against mine. I could feel him. He was still hard. I was starting to get hard too. And as if that wasn't enough, Zell brought his mouth to mine and shoved his tongue into my mouth.

I wasn't stupid enough to pull away, so I didn't. I just stood there, completely shocked, with Zell massaging my tongue with his own. After a few moments, Zell pulled away, grinning at me, a strange glimmer in his eyes.

"How was that?" he asked, letting go of me. "Am I still a bad ass?"

"…Yes," I whispered, then instantly regretted it. "No, no, what the? What the hell? Why did you kiss me? Are _you_ gay?"

"Nope?"

"Then what's the deal?"

"I don't know."

"Are you high?"

"A little bit."

"That must be it."

"Not really."

"What?"

"Squall, you're a cool guy. Like a brother to me."

"That's kind of sick."

"Don't be so technical. I just, I don't know. I definitely like Quistis, she's amazing. But, you know, I keep giving you this shit about you being gay. And it might be because I'm a little, I don't know. Insecure."

"Are you bi?"

"What? No, no, not really. I mean, I would never let a guy fuck me or any shit like that. No way. I'm just, kind of, I don't know. Open minded, yeah. I'm an open minded kind of guy."

"Well, that's good, I guess."

"Are _you_ open minded?"

"Me? No, I. I don't know. Maybe just a little bit, but I think most guys are."

"Probably. Well, sorry. Just, don't tell Quistis. You gotta keep this between us."

"Don't worry."

"Thanks. Aight, well, I think I'm gonna go play some video games. You wanna come along?"

"No, I'm awful at video games."

"So?"

"So, you'll kick my ass."

"Big deal."

"Come _on_. It's just to waste some time until tonight. I wanna go to a bar or something."

"Yeah, that would be good."

"So, let's waste some time!"

"Alright, alright. I'll come along. But you're still gonna kick my ass."

"And that's the way it should be!"

And with that, Zell and I left my room, heading into his where we could play some video games. It was so strange. So much had happened in such a short period of time. It was almost as if it were some kind of crazy dream. Zell and Quistis had started making out so quickly, basically dry humping on the couch. Then, Zell came to check on me and ended up shoving his tongue down my throat. And then, he told me he was a little bit curious. He mentioned that he'd never let a guy fuck him, but he had never said anything about fucking a guy. Damn, I had a dirty mind. I needed to fix that. Well, maybe.

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Author's Notes: Alright, how was that? Thank you very much for all those who have reviewed thus far. Maia? YukaYuka? Thank you. You guys make this story worth writing. I'm writing this for you guys, just so you know that. And Maia, please continue with your wonderfully long reviews. I don't mean to whine about this, but they are so fun to read. They really do brighten my day. Even though I love school, love my friends, love my family, and have a great life, reading those reviews make it even brighter. Maybe I should get some sunglasses. Regardless, I hope you guys are enjoying my story. Be ready for the next chapter, where I plan for Zell, Quistis, and Squall to go out to a bar. Who knows what's going to happen? And yes, those who are reading, please review.


	5. I Don't Believe I Went Too Far

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Otherworld

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Genre: Drama/Romance

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Classification: Epic

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Rating: R

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Pairings: Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall

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Warnings: AU, Alcohol Use, Drug Use, Language, Lemon

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Disclaimer: The _Final Fantasy VIII_ franchise is owned by Squaresoft

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AU. Zell is the lead singer for a rock band, but what happens when he becomes torn between the booze, the drugs, his bassist, and his drummer? [Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall]

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Author's Notes: A very special thank you to Maia and YukaYuka. Both of you are amazing to me. I look forward to reading your reviews all of the time. Don't worry, I'm trying to leave both of you some long reviews as well. And I hope I never displease either of you with my story. See, I think the secret to writing a good story is to act like _you_ are the reader. You simply have to write what _you_ would like to _read_. And that's what I do. Regardless, I'm still very hyped that you keep reading and reviewing this. I just love updating this for both of you. Really, it gives me something to do. Because I'm not in the mood to play any video game right now, hehe. And to answer YukaYuka's question, the answer is yes. I _did_ write those songs in Chapter Three on my own. Alright, and I will give Maia another huge hug since she hugged me. Okay, here's Chapter Five. Please enjoy.

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Ch. 05

I Don't Believe I Went Too Far

[Zell's P.O.V.]

_"She's your cocaine, she's got you shaving your legs."_

I grinned at the sound of a alternative rock song I'd heard years ago. I folded my arms across my chest. My idea of going to a bar tonight had been a kick ass idea, because I think all of us were pretty anxious to do something. I stood between Quistis and Squall, looking at the bar we'd chosen. It was some joint called _Ever_. Quistis had heard about it from Xu a few weeks ago. It was kind of misty on the inside, it must've been from all of the cigarettes. But who was I to complain? After all, earlier today our living room had been pretty misty from the joint we'd been smoking.

__

Man.

It'd been _such_ a day. First Quistis and I had gotten pretty stoned and ended up dry humping, and then I shoved my tongue down Squall's throat. Crazy. And I couldn't keep blaming it on the weed. It was too late for that now. I was deep in this, it wasn't just up to my knees. It was all the way at my throat. I couldn't just get a grip. I was stuck in this. And I wasn't even sure if I _wanted_ to get out.

"Zell," Quistis called, bringing me out of my thoughts. "Zell, what do you want to do?"

"Uh," I murmured. "I'm gonna head to the bar. What about you guys?"

"Well," Quistis began. "I said I'd call Xu to let her know we found the bar okay. I think I'm going to go to the bathroom and call her on my cell."

"I'm gonna play some pool," Squall replied, gazing in the direction of the pool tables.

"Aight," I said. "Well, let's try and have a good time. Catch you guys later."

"Later," Squall bid.

And with that, the three of us split paths, heading off in separate directions.

I found that the bar itself wasn't as shiny or glamorous as the one in that techno club the other night, but it wasn't bad. It seemed like a nice place. The bartender looked like he knew what he was doing, anyway.

After I found my way through the ocean of tables until I finally found a stool at the bar. I let out a sigh, and looked up only when the bartender came over to me.

"Hey," he said. "What can I get you?"

"Uh, Bloody Mary."

"Coming right up."

I ran a hand through my blonde spikes, shaking my head. I knew I couldn't drink too much. I'd gotten really fucked up last time. I didn't really wanna risk that again. So why did I even decide to come to a bar in the first place? Obviously I didn't care that much. Oh, fuck it. If I ended up waking up with a headache I could always get Xu to give me seven aspirins again.

"Here."

I smiled slightly at the tall, cool glass of alcoholic blood. The bartender slid it over to me and I instantly picked it up, bringing it to my lips. I let it flow down my throat like a river of red, my throat nearly having an orgasm of approval.

"Man."

I looked up, expecting to see the bartender trying to make conversation with me. He wasn't. In fact, he wasn't even close to me. He was getting someone else's order on the other side of the bar. I furrowed my eyebrows. I looked to my left, and saw some lady sipping at her glass. It wasn't her. I turned to my right and saw three guys laughing and drooling all over their drinks. Kind of sick. It must've been one of them.

"That bitch was fucking _fine_. Did you see her tits? _Shit_, man, _shit_."

"I'd fuck her up any day."

"Same here. Fuck, man. Why don't we?"

"What?"

"Why don't we fuck her?"

"What if she doesn't want us to?"

"Who gives a fuck?"

"Isn't that rape?"

"Yeah, so fucking what."

"You're evil, man."

"Shut up. Are you in this or not?"

"Fuck yeah I'm in this. That bitch is fucking fine."

"So where is that stupid bitch?"

"She headed over to the bathroom."

"Aight, let's keep an eye on her. When she gets out, we'll smooth talk her into gettin' a drink, then take her to some back alley."

"I can't wait."

"Shut up."

I wasn't sure if they knew I was staring at them. A look of amazement on my face. A look of disgust. Hell, I'm sure there was a look of rage on there somewhere, because I _knew_ they were talking about Quistis. What the fuck? Did they think I would actually sit here and stand for that? I didn't give a fuck if there was three of them and one of me. They were _not_ going to be talking about Quistis like that. I just wouldn't stand for that type of bullshit. I could feel my blood boiling in my veins. It was like some volcano had erupted deep inside of me. I stood up so fast that my stool wobbled and collapsed beneath me. I was staring straight at the three jack asses, and I was _not_ smiling.

"What the fuck is your deal?" one of them asked.

"You're talking about raping a girl," I growled.

"Yeah, so what?"

"So _what_?!" I cried. "What the fuck?! You're all fucking insane. That _girl_ is my _friend_."

"What? You wanna join us?"

"_Fuck_ you!" I yelled, taking a running dive at the man who had _invited_ me to _rape_ Quistis. I tackled him onto the floor and instantly began pummeling his face with my fists.

"You sick little son of a bitch!" I cried, relentlessly punching his face in. "I fucking hate you! You hear me, you little fuck? I fucking hate you!"

I kept punching him, an awful rage buried deep within, even as I heard gasps of shock and the bartender cursing. All of the sudden I felt a force pulling me away from the sick little bastard, and I instantly knew that it was his two friends. They pulled me off of him, holding me there like I was some kind of a trophy. One of them had my left arm, the other had my right. I wriggled and writhed in their grip, but it didn't do me any good. I _was_ only one man.

I looked down at the bloody mess of the man as he struggled to get up from the floor. He was holding his nose, shaking his head in disbelief as he got up.

"Come on," one of his henchman rooted.

"Yeah," the other chimed in. "Show this little fuck who's boss."

I clinched my teeth and narrowed my eyes, glaring at the bastard who I'd just pummeled. He rubbed away a trickle of blood, then licked it off his finger. He grinned at me.

"You think you're big shit?"

He stepped over to me, ignoring the bartender's pointless threats.

He was standing _right_ there, _right_ in front of me. He looked me straight in the eye.

"I hope you don't think you're gonna stop us from raping your little friend," he whispered.

I spit in his face.

He slowly wiped my spit away, rubbing it off on his shirt. He chuckled at me, drew his fist back, and then punched me right in the stomach. Hard.

_Fuck._

I kind of just numbed there, between his two jackass friends, like a rag doll. He'd knocked the wind out of me. I drew back, nearly collapsing in the grip of his henchmen.

I looked up, my vision a little distorted, already exhausted, broken from just that one punch.

"You like that, bastard?" he asked me. "Huh? Do you?"

He drew back once more and punched me in the stomach again. I felt tears beginning to form in my eyes. I felt weak. Fragile. Like I was made of glass. I let out a low, hard breath.

"What're your fans gonna think?" he inquired. "What're they gonna think when they hear their precious little rock star got his ass kicked in a bar? What're they gonna think when they hear their precious little rock star couldn't save his friend from getting raped?"

I looked up, giving him a cold stare. Even though my vision was messed up from the pain, I spit in his face once again.

This only pissed him off, and he punched me in the stomach _again_. My vision was getting black. It was a little too much. It was getting difficult to breathe. I let out a desperate breath, shaking my head in disbelief. This wasn't really happening. It couldn't have been. I literally felt something inside of me break. I was falling into some kind of darkness.

The last thing I heard was Quistis' voice screaming my name. Then everything went black.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

It didn't make any sense. Even me, a twenty three year old with a good head on my shoulder, couldn't make _any_ sense out of it. And that frightened me. It was the worst feeling when you had absolutely _no_ idea what was going to happen next. Then again, that's life. And maybe I should say that uncertainty excites me, but it's not like that. I find that uncertainty can be like a horrible knife. It can cut you down when you least expect it.

Why did this have to happen? Why did Zell get in that horrible fight? I had never been so scared in my life. Seeing him, just, being beaten like that. I raced to him as quickly as I could, and I was still too late. What kind of a friend was I? How could I let them do this to him? If only I hadn't had to call Xu, everything would've been okay. I could've talked Zell out of fighting. I could have gotten Squall and then the three of us could've left. Was I a failure?

Here I was, standing in this sickeningly white room. Zell's hospital room. Just standing here, with my arms folded across my chest. I could feel the worry in my face, but I didn't care if it was obvious or not. I _was_ worried. Terribly worried. Somewhere, deep inside, I had an awful urge to cry, but I ignored it. After all, I had to be strong. I was the rock of the group, wasn't I? I was the one that had to stay strong for the others. I had to be the good guy. I had to be so mane things, but in times like this, it got a little overwhelming. I just didn't know anymore. I just didn't know.

I looked at Zell's sleeping form, the I.V. looking a little too pretty, with it's solution and with it's tube. I placed a hand on my face, shaking my head. This didn't seem real. Zell had a bad temper, but he knew when to let up. He wouldn't have gotten into that fight if it weren't for a good reason. But, what was the reason? My head was practically _throbbing_ with thoughts. I needed a coffee. It hurt like hell for me to just, leave Zell's side like this, but it wouldn't take me more than five minutes. I'd be right back. After making a little promise with myself, I left his room and headed for the waiting room.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

"I see you had the same idea as me," I said softly, watching as Squall helped himself to a cup of coffee.

Squall nodded, moving aside so I could get a cup for myself.

"It's crazy," he murmured.

"I know," I agreed as I filled my cup with the hot, black liquid. "I wonder what drove him to do that. He must've done something to provoke those bastards."

"I shudder the thought," Squall said, leaning against the wall.

"It's been a crazy day, hasn't it? Oh, so much has happened."

"I'd say."

"Look," I began, taking a sip from my coffee. "I'm sorry about what had happened earlier. I apologize on behalf of both Zell and myself. The way we acted on the couch, it was totally uncalled for. I'm sorry, Squall."

"Don't worry about it."

"But I _am_ worried about it. I really am sorry. I know it must've made you feel terribly uncomfortable."

"Yeah, well, so what? You really should stay concerned about Zell."

I tossed my cup of coffee into the trash. All of the sudden, it didn't taste very good. I folded my arms across my chest. Was that a little bit of a sharpness in Squall's voice? Was he upset with me?

"I _am_ concerned about Zell. I was just apologizing for earlier."

"Well, lay off the apology. It's useless."

I couldn't _believe_ Squall's coldness. What was he so angry at me about? I thought what I was doing was sensible.

"What? I'm _trying_ to be polite."

"Well, don't bother. I understand perfectly what you were doing back there."

"Excuse me? Squall, please. Don't be like this. We were all a little out of it because of the blunt, you can't do this to me. Please."

"Whatever."

"Squall! I can't believe you! Are you _hearing_ yourself right now?"

"Yeah."

"How can you be so cold? It's almost as if you're _jealous_ of me! Is _that_ it?!"

Squall simply threw his cup of coffee into the trash, shrugging. He took a few steps away from me, only to turn over his shoulder and give me a final look.

"I'm gonna go up and stay with Zell."

"What about _me_?!"

"What about you?"

And that was it. Squall disappeared around the corner, leaving me there, alone with my thoughts. I felt incredibly stupid. I had no idea whatsoever what was going on. Why was Squall so angry with me? What had I done to upset him? I had already apologized for earlier. It just didn't make any sense at all. I just stood there, trying _so_ hard to be strong. I _had_ to be strong, right? I couldn't break. I wasn't supposed to break. But it was just _so_ hard. I couldn't help myself. I broke.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

He looked so beautiful lying there. The lights were dim, but still. He just looked too pretty. I quietly closed the door behind me. I couldn't keep my eyes off of him. No matter how hard I tried, it was like there was some magnetic pull about him. I just couldn't help myself. I walked towards the bed where Zell was sleeping, in serious need of rest. I didn't want to wake him, I really didn't. I just wanted to see him. That's all, right?

I stood there, watching his gorgeous sleeping form. It was kind of sad, seeing him like that. Seeing that little white patch on his hand, with that little tube going up to the I.V. I let out a soft sigh. Oh, Zell. You poor thing. Why did this happen to you? Why did this happen to someone as wonderful as you?

I folded my arms across my chest. I don't care what anyone said. Quistis just didn't know Zell like I did. Him and I had been best friends since junior high. Quistis hadn't come into the picture since high school. I was tired of being the tagalong. It wasn't fair. It used to just be me and Zell. No one else. We didn't need anyone else back then. We could've saved the world. So why did Quistis have to get involved? Who gave her that right? Damn. I'm not a very good friend, am I? Quistis had always been there for me. She helped me study for tests in high school. She gave me advice when I found myself in a bind. She was a good person. But it was too late for that now, wasn't it? After all, I'd already acted like a total jackass back there. I couldn't help but feel extremely guilty.

I let out a sad sigh and crawled onto the bed with Zell. I simply sat there at his feet, looking at his sleeping face.

"What do you do to me?" I whispered. "Do you even know? You _kissed_ me earlier. And I liked it. Is that wrong? Would you hate me if I told you that?"

He was so pretty. Normally men his age were trying to grow beards, putting on weight. But Zell kept up with himself. He was amazing. I don't know when I started feeling like this about him. I didn't just wake up one day and decide that this was how I felt. It'd happened over the years. I tried to deny it _so_ many times. You have _no_ idea. I felt like dirt back then. Feeling this way about my best friend. Hell, I still felt like dirt from time to time. No, it was more often than that. I felt like dirt everyday. Was I dirt? Of course I was. Zell needed me to be here as his best friend. Not to be some little queer that couldn't stop thinking about him fucking me. He didn't need that. He didn't need me.

And that was it. I couldn't take anymore. I had just been thinking _way_ too hard. I collapsed on Zell, sobbing into his chest.

It had taken me this long to realize that Zell didn't need me. It was simple as that. I felt so stupid. I was selfish, wasn't I? After all, if it weren't for me, Zell could have Quistis and they could live happily ever after. Everything would be so much easier if I weren't here. So was it really right for me to keep ruining their lives by staying here? No, of course not. It wasn't right. It just wasn't right.

The tears kept pouring down my face, soaking Zell's hospital gown. I hadn't cried like this in a long time. I'd kept it inside for _so_ long.

All of the sudden, I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. I looked up and saw Zell's face _right_ there. I could feel his hot breath on my face. He offered a meek grin.

"Hey," he said softly.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, trying to wriggle out of his grip. But he wouldn't let me. He just held me there, as if he _wanted_ it.

"Don't be. Why are you crying?"

"…Because you're hurt."

"I don't think that's why you're crying," he said.

"…It is," I lied.

"Be honest with me, baby. Squall. Be honest, Squall."

"…Baby?"

"Sorry."

"I…I'm crying because. I don't know. It's so much shit, Zell. And you do _not_ need it right now."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Please?"

"It'd be easier if I were just you and Quistis. It'd be easier if I weren't around."

"Huh? What the hell?"

"I, I don't know, Zell. You and her could live happily ever after if it weren't for me."

"What are you getting at? We're like a family."

"Not anymore," I said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I was an asshole to her down there. That's all, um, but that's not important right now. Why did you get hurt?"

"Huh?"

"Why did they hurt you?" I inquired.

"Well," he began. "I was getting a drink, and I heard them talking about raping a girl. Which is wrong to begin with. But it turns out they were going to rape Quistis."

"Shit. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have gone to play pool. I could've backed you up."

"It's okay. I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"Look, I'm _fine_, Squall. Don't worry so much about me."

"I _am_ worried about you."

And with that, I forced my way out of Zell's warm, although most likely friendly embrace, and began tugging at the hem of his hospital gown.

"Dude," Zell said, his voice a little bit nervous. "Dude, I have _nothing_ under this!"

But it was too late, because I'd already thrown his gown up to investigate his stomach, and saw that he had no boxers on. My heart sank, but my cock got hard. I was staring right at his package. I just couldn't stop. Maybe it was wrong of me, I'm sure it was. But I just _couldn't_ help myself, no matter how hard I tried.

He was hard, which kind of confused me. Quistis wasn't anywhere in sight. Hell, there was _no_ female in sight. So why was he horny? _And damn._ It looked amazing, with his happy trail leading to his dark pubic hair. _Shit._

Zell tried to throw his hospital gown down with his hand that didn't have an I.V. attached to it, but I grabbed the soft material by the hem.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing?!" he demanded, although in a hushed tone.

And I, myself didn't know. What _was_ I doing? Fuck. I just didn't know anything anymore. Everything was just a huge blur. That's all life was. And everybody is a little piece of color, just trying to leave a big stain.

"I want to make you feel better," I whispered, noticing the violet bruises on Zell's six pack.

"What?"

"You'll see."

And with that, I leaned forward, kissing his first bruise. His skin tasted sweet on my lips. So warm, so soft. Amazing. I made my way down his six pack, kissing every single injury. Healing every hurt with my mouth. Then I felt my lips meeting with his happy trail. I looked up at Zell, who had a bewildered look on his face. He looked adorable, although I wasn't sure if he was enjoying this.

"I'm sorry," I began, suddenly embarrassed. "I'm really sorry, I don't know what's come over me."

"No," he said, shaking his head. He offered a small grin. "Remember? Most guys are open minded."

"But what about Quistis?"

"What about her? Dude, me and her don't have anything set up. We're not steady or anything."

"But you made out with her earlier today."

"Yeah, because of that blunt. It's not like I'm cheating on her or anything."

"I guess."

"If you don't wanna do it, then don't."

But I _wanted_ to. Damn, I wanted to suck Zell's dick so bad. But was it right? Should I be doing this to Quistis? Fuck that. I was tired of standing in the background. I'd wanted to do this for _so_ long. So I took my chance.

I moved my head down, running my tongue along his happy trail until I reached the head of his cock, breathing on it. I heard him take in a breath as I opened my mouth. I wrapped my tongue around the head, pushing my head down on it.

"Oh, baby," Zell moaned.

I moved my head down even further, bringing more of his dick into my mouth, his head touching the back of my throat. I clenched my throat muscles and started moving my head up and down on his cock. Zell's voice moaned my name several times as I gave him head. I moved my hands up to his chest, massaging it gently with my hands.

"I'm gonna cum," he warned.

But I didn't care. I wanted to swallow it. I pushed my head down all the way, deepthroating it. He basically impaled my mouth with his cock, and I heard his breathing become airy as he shot his load down my throat. The hot, white liquid fell like a waterfall into my stomach. I moved my head up and licked my lips, looking Zell straight in the eyes.

"Do you feel better?" I asked him.

"Yes," he breathed. "Yeah, I do. Thanks."

"Sure," I said, and moved my head back down, licking his dick as it softened.

Zell moaned softly, tossing his head back.

All of the sudden, we heard the door open. I tried to look as if nothing had happened. Hell, we both did. But it was too late. It was obvious, with Zell's sweat covered face, and my position with my head so close to his cock. I was staring at the open doorway, a look of pure shock on my face. Who had come in? Who had seen Zell and me in such a _humiliating_ situation? It was Quistis.

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Author's Notes: Alright, how was that? I'm sorry, it probably blew. But let me explain a few things. Zell is a twenty two year old male. Do you think he's really going to not want a blowjob? After all, he himself said that he's open minded. Oh, I hope I didn't lose any fans. Regardless, this is the first chapter that _really_ had a cliffhanger. Hell, it's even a cliffhanger for me. How is Quistis going to react? Oh, so much drama. And thanks again to Maia and YukaYuka. I'm looking forward to your fabulous reviews.


	6. Never Go, Go So Fast

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Otherworld

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Genre: Drama/Romance

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Classification: Epic

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Rating: R

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Pairings: Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall

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Warnings: AU, Alcohol Use, Drug Use, Language, Lemon

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Disclaimer: The _Final Fantasy VIII_ franchise is owned by Squaresoft

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AU. Zell is the lead singer for a rock band, but what happens when he becomes torn between the booze, the drugs, his bassist, and his drummer? [Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall]

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Author's Notes: Oh, goodness. I had to update as soon as I possibly could because of that awful cliffhanger in Chapter Five. Hell, I don't even know what's going to happen next. I just write as it comes to mind. Maia, YukaYuka, Becca, hopemia? I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. I'm extremely grateful that all of you are enjoying my story as much as I am. I hope I never displease any of you. Oh, and I believe Maia and YukaYuka wanted to hear a little about my band. My band is called Datura High, which probably sounds like an odd name. Datura, aside from being a Tori Amos song, is a hallucinogen. So, put two and two together. In the band, I write all the lyrics, play the bass, and sing backup vocals. We're a mix of Tori Amos, Silent Hill 2, and Silent Hill 3. So, we're basically alternative rock. I hope that answered any questions you might have had. Oh, and one more thing. Any little philosophical lines I use in this story, I come up with completely on my own. Alright, enough about all of that. Here's Chapter Six. Please enjoy.

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Ch. 06

Never Go, Go So Fast

[Zell's P.O.V.]

_Fuck._ And that's all that came to my head. _Fuck._

What else was I supposed to think? My head was like a puzzle that was missing about twenty fucking pieces. I'd just gotten my ass kicked at a bar, trying to prevent a group of bastards from raping Quistis. Sure, I succeeded. But I'm not sure if any of that mattered now. After all, she'd caught me and Squall in a compromising position. Me lying here, with my cock revealed, and Squall's mouth a little too close for comfort, right above it. And I'm sure the smell of sweat wasn't on our side, either. Dammit all.

I really didn't know what to do. What the hell was I supposed to do? It was fucking humiliating. Fuck. Why did she have to walk in at _exactly_ that moment? Why did she have to see this? Why couldn't she have waited for two fucking minutes? I could feel the heat in my face. I knew I was blushing. But then again, who wouldn't be blushing at a time like this?

"I," I breathed, fumbling with my hospital gown, pulling it over my exposed dick. "I, you know? I'm sorry, Quistis. I, I don't know, Quistis."

I could see the look of shock on her face. But the funny thing was, there looked like there was a glimmer of hurt in her eyes. As if seeing this had actually _hurt_ her. I know, I know it was sick. I know it was really fucking nasty to have to walk in on something like this. But I didn't know that it would _hurt_ someone. Especially Quistis. Nothing ever hurt her. She was the strong one.

"No," she said, just as quietly. "No, Zell. Squall. Neither of you have to explain anything to me. I think I understand perfectly. That's right. You don't have to explain _shit_ to me. I'm out of here. I hope both of you have a wonderful life together."

"No!" I cried, rising up, nearly shoving Squall off of the bed. "No, Quistis! You can't do that! What about the band?"

"What _about_ the band?" she inquired, folding her arms across her chest. "Oh, I'm the bassist, right?"

I nodded, my eyes pleading. My face was just _begging_ her to stay. She _couldn't_ do this. She just _couldn't_ fucking do this. This so wasn't fucking cool. I could literally feel the tears forming in my eyes. But you know what? I didn't give a fuck. I didn't care if Quistis _or_ Squall saw me crying. I just knew that it broke something inside with Quistis talking like this.

"Yeah," I murmured, the tears running down my cheeks. "You're the bassist. For our band."

"Well," Quistis began, forcing a tiny smile. "You'll have to find a new one."

And with that, she left my room, slamming the door behind her. I could hear her angry footsteps as she made her way down the hall. I just sat there, staring at the door she had just slammed. It was kind of hard to see, there were just so many fucking tears in my eyes. My vision was really blurry.

"Quistis," I whispered. "Quistis."

I looked down at Squall. He looked up at me and tucked some messy bangs behind his ear. He had a certain glimmer in his eyes, as if he wanted to cry. I don't know what was holding him back. After all, I was fucking balling.

"She's gone," I murmured, bringing my hands up to the sides of my head. "She's fucking gone. All because of me, right? 'Cause I'm a fucking faggot."

Squall grabbed my hand, shaking his head.

"No," he said softly. "I'm the faggot. I'm the one who sucked you off. Besides, I. Quistis and I shared words before I came up here. It's my fault, Zell. It's all my fault."

"Whatever," I spat. "She's fucking gone. We're fucking ruined. Are you happy with that? Are you fucking happy with that?"

Squall shook his head, bringing in a soft breath. I knew he wanted to cry.

"No," he said. "We're not ruined. I'll talk to her."

"Fuck that," I cursed. "You'll just fucking _share words with her_ again, huh? Piss her off really good. She saw you fucking sucking my dick. I don't think she wants to talk to _you_. You might fuck things up even worse."

"Zell," he whined, his voice breaking slightly. "Zell, don't say that. I'm going to make up for everything I did. I'm going to make everything okay. I promise."

"Fuck you," I growled, instantly regretting it.

I turned away for a few seconds and then turned back, looking into Squall's stormy eyes. He must've known I was sorry, because he instantly crawled forward and kissed me on my cheek.

"It's okay," he whispered in my ear. He put a hand on my chest, rubbing it gently. "It's okay, Zell. I know."

My shoulders bobbed up and down. I just couldn't stop crying. I was so confused. What the fuck was I? Was I gay? I kept telling myself I wasn't. I knew I'd never let a guy fuck me. But was that all it took to be straight? Because I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to fuck Squall. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to fuck Quistis. And neither one of them needed this. Neither one of them needed to be second to some freak show like me. I was the one that was fucking everything up. How could I lay here, this mess I was, blaming Squall for everything I did? I don't care what he had said to Quistis. It wasn't his fault that she left. It was because of me. Because I couldn't fucking make up my mind. About anything. I was just an alcoholic drug addict. I'd probably be found dead before I hit thirty. I'd probably end up overdosing on something. Maybe that's all it took. Maybe that's what would make everything better.

Right now, it didn't matter. It just didn't matter. There weren't enough sold out concerts, enough screaming fans. None of that was worth shit. Either way, Quistis was gone. Obviously, none of that mattered to her, either. I hurt her. I did.

When I finally snapped back to reality, I noticed that Squall was sitting on my lap, holding my face in his hands. I looked into his eyes. I was still crying, but not nearly as much. I felt guilty, though. Sitting there, with Squall on my lap. Looking into his eyes. I enjoyed it. Was that wrong? Was that really wrong? Was it a sin? Because I would love for Quistis to be in his place. I would love for Quistis to be sitting here, looking into my eyes. But I loved this, too. I just didn't know anymore. That's the funny thing about life, you know? 'Cause life is like a war that never ends. You can never let your guard down, because if you do, you're going to end up landing on your face.

"Okay," I whispered. "Please, you have to get her. You can't. You can't let her just run out on us. Please."

Just when I thought I was doing a little better, I started crying hard again. I felt like something was missing, somewhere deep inside. And I knew it was because Quistis had left. Nothing would ever fill that empty space. Only Quistis could. And I wish with all my heart that I could jump up, tear this damned I.V. out of my hand and run after her. 'Cause she knows I would follow her. Over the Sahara. Across the Great Wall of China. She knows I would follow her.

"I'll get her," Squall murmured, crawling off of my lap, slipping off the bed. "Everything is going to be okay, I promise. You'll see. Don't worry."

I looked up at him, nodding. I forced a tiny smile, using my free hand to wipe at my eyes. I knew I looked like a pussy, crying like that. But I couldn't help it.

"Okay," Squall said softly, heading over to the door that Quistis had slammed a few minutes ago. "Get some rest, alright? It's been a long night."

_You're damned right._

I just nodded, sniffling. I leaned back, sitting my head on my pillow. It felt so nice. It was soft, cool. Even with all of the crazy shit that had just happened. Even with all of that, I knew that it wouldn't be hard to fall asleep. I was stressed, worried, tired. I really needed the rest. I owed Squall. He was doing me a huge favor. I knew it was especially awkward for him to have to track Quistis down. After all, I was basically the link that kept the two of them together. If it weren't for me, they probably wouldn't get along too good. In fact, they probably only got along for my sake. But I hoped that when Squall finally got a hold of her, they could work some things out and change that. Oh, fuck it, Dincht. You're thinking _entirely_ too much. Get your ass some fucking sleep.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

Who gave him that right? Who gave _him_ the right to break my perfect little blue world apart like that? I would have _never._ It just didn't make any sense. I was so confused. And that was _so_ terrifying. It was so _very_ terrifying. I was always a levelheaded girl, and now I was at a bind. Nothing made sense anymore. Everything was a mess. I couldn't clean it up. I just couldn't clean it up.

I was running down the sidewalk in heels. I didn't care if my ankles felt like they were snapping. I didn't care if they were bruising. None of that mattered. I just had to run away. Run away from everything. I knew I wouldn't get far, but that didn't matter. As long as I got away. Even if I was just three blocks away, I'd be fine with that. I just couldn't see either of them. I felt so stupid. Was I? Was I stupid for wanting Zell? After all, if he wanted me, he would've let me know by now. I was just a girl. That's all I was to him, right? Just a girl with a bass, walking after his footsteps. The strong one. But the thing is, I wasn't strong at all. I was the weakest one.

I was almost at the end of the sidewalk when I heard an annoying screeching noise ring throughout the city nightlife. I kept running in those painful heels, not caring enough to stop and look. I just had to keep running. Zell and Squall had made me a running girl. Running as fast as I could.

My shadow danced against the brick wall to my left. The stars seemed to be hanging low that night, as if the person who put them up there had gotten lazy this time. If I were him, I would've gotten lazy too. Then, just as I prepared to cross the street, I saw a blaze of color literally split across the street, coming to a dangerous stop in front of me. It was a yellow Volkswagen, the newer model. Why did it have to stop _right_ there? _Right_ in my way? Of all the places it could've possibly stopped.

I stood there and folded my arms across my chest. I knelt down a little bit, trying to peer into the tinted window. Who was in there? All of the sudden, the passenger side door flung open, and I saw a familiar looking girl in there. _That girl from McDonald's. What was her name? Selphie, that was it. Yes._

"Selphie," I said softly, trying to look cool and composed. I tucked a blonde bang behind my ear. "What're you doing here?"

"I was cruising," she replied, tilting her head to the side. "And, like, I saw you running and knew something was wrong. Did someone try to mug you or something?"

"No," I began, shaking my head. "No, Selphie. Nothing like that."

"Then what is it?" she inquired.

I knelt down further, sitting on the very edge of the passenger seat, with my legs hanging out of the car. I didn't want to impose.

"Um," I murmured. "It's hard, Selphie. I don't know if you'd really understand. No offense, but it's just, too much. Even I don't really understand it. It's all like some horrible bad dream."

"Well, is everyone okay?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah," I said. "They're _really_ okay. But I'm not doing too hot."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she replied. "Look, do you, like, wanna go somewhere? Like, to take your mind off of things? How about we go for an ice cream?"

Did I really want to? Oh, I didn't see any harm in it. After all, if Squall could help himself to going down on Zell, I could help myself to a bowl of ice cream with Selphie.

"Sure," I said. "I'd like that."

"Then come on in!" she cried cheerfully.

I smiled, slipping into her comfortable little car. I closed the passenger door behind me and buckled the seatbelt. I smiled at her and she smiled back. Then she made her way back onto the street in the direction of the nearest ice cream parlor.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

The nearest ice cream parlor actually wasn't too far at all. In fact, I could've made it easily just running in my heels. It was only two blocks away from the corner that Selphie had picked me up at. It was a nice little place with huge glass windows, wonderful white floors, and a huge selection of flavors. I opted for Berry Swirl, and Selphie helped herself to Triple Fudge. Normally, a place like this would've been closed by now. But it was the city, and just about everything was open at all hours. They got better business that way. There were allot of druggies in the area who got cravings in the middle of the night. They'd be stupid if they _didn't_ keep their doors open at this time of night.

"I so, _totally_ would never have pictured myself having an ice cream with the bassist of Otherworld!" Selphie cried, shoving a huge spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.

Thing is, I _wasn't_ the bassist of Otherworld. Not anymore. I'd told Zell and Squall to find another one. And I'm sure they loved that bit. I'm sure they were already searching for a new one. Someone better than me.

"Yeah," I said softly, stirring the ice cream around a little bit. "Yeah, it's kind of funny, isn't it?"

"More like totally insane! But it's so cool. You really seem like an awesome chick."

"Thanks. It's mutual."

Oh, I knew I should've been a little more talkative. After all, Selphie had picked me up from those crazy streets out there. If I'd of kept running, I might not have even made it to the ice cream parlor. And even if I had, I probably wouldn't have stopped. I would've kept running, through that hideous darkness. I might've ran into some bad people. Might have gotten mugged. Or worse. Oh, I couldn't _bare_ that thought. _Worse._ Hell, I could've ended up getting _raped._

"Are you okay, Quistis?" she asked me. "You look like something's seriously weirding you out. What's goin' on?"

"Oh," I murmured. "I, just. It's been a rough night."

"You can tell me. I won't tell anyone, I promise."

"…Okay. Well, it's a toughie. Because Zell, Squall, and I had gone to a bar. You know, just to get out and do a little something. Just to get out of the house. And, um, I went to call our manager, just to let her know that we found it okay and we didn't end up getting lose. And when I came back out, I headed to the bar and saw that Zell was getting pummeled by three guys. They'd ganged up on him. I ran over there and grabbed a bottle, ready to beat the…shit…out of them, but. Oh, forget it. They ran like the cowards they were. Then the bartender called 911, and an ambulance came. They took Zell to the hospital, and we tagged along. It's, just. A little more, but. That's the general idea."

Selphie simply stared at me, her eyes wide and shimmering. She had a look of concern on her face. She patted my hand again, nodding in empathy.  
"You poor girl," she said softly. "I'm so sorry, for all of you. That must've been _horrible_. Why would those jerks do something like that?"

"Well," I began, shrugging slightly. "Zell's got a big mouth. I'm sure he was talking big."

"Oh. I, I don't know. I don't think. I don't think so, Zell might have a big mouth, but he's got a good head on his shoulders. At least, the magazines make it seem that way."

Selphie was right. It was immature of me to be holding such a thick, strong grudge. But it was human nature, wasn't it? That was the way of the human. The human was a _very_ complex animal. Perhaps, in a sense, we were the most _inhumane_ animal. I wasn't sure. I couldn't speak on behalf of all humanity, but I certainly felt _very_ inhumane.

"You're right. I know that _something_ was going on. They didn't just start fighting for no reason. And I seriously doubt that Zell simply started insulting them. We'd just gotten there. He hadn't had enough to be drunk."

Selphie nodded, offering me a bright smile.

"So, like. Don't worry so much! Everything's gonna be okay, you know? Don't sweat it."

"Yes. I'll try to take it easy."

"Good!"

All of the sudden, we heard a wonderful little _jingle_ ringing from the front door. Someone had just come in. I slouched in my seat just a little bit, hoping it wasn't some crazed fan or a drunken reject from a nearby bar. Selphie turned her head, looking in the direction of the entrance. She let out a soft little gasp.

"Oh!" she cried, turning to look at me. "Look, Quistis! It's Squall!"

I looked up, half expecting to wake up from some weird daydream. But I didn't. It was all too real. There he was, plain as day. Squall. And he was coming this way.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

"Selphie," I said softly, smiling down at the brunette girl.

She looked up at me, grinning widely. She jumped up, giving me a huge hug.

"Oh!" she cried. "Oh, Squall! I haven't seen you in a couple of days. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," I lied, offering her a meek grin. "Um, can you excuse Quistis? She and I really need to talk about something. It's private."

"Aw," she whined in a mocking tone, playfully stomping her foot down. "Well, I don't know. Quistis, do you need a ride to your place, or anything?"

I looked over at Quistis, who simply sat there, looking at me, an expressionless look upon her face.

I decided to answer for her.

"No," I said. "I'll make sure she makes it home okay."

"Okay," Selphie began. "Well, I'll definitely catch you guys later. Take it easy!"

And with that, the bubbly brunette raced out of the ice cream parlor, leaving me and Quistis to clean up after the awful mess of scarred emotions that lay on the floor like an open book.

I sat down, meeting Quistis' gaze with my own.

"Look," I began, wanting to work this out _so_ badly for Zell's sake. "I'm really sorry about what had happened back there. But you don't understand the half of it."

"Oh. I don't think there's anything _to_ understand. You went down on him."

I blushed, rubbing my forehead.

"Stop. You have to understand something."

"_No_. I don't have to understand _anything_."

"Zell got in that fight at _Ever_ because those guys were going to rape you."

She opened her mouth just a little, gaping at me. She furrowed her eyebrows, bringing a hand to her forehead. I knew she'd regretted the way she reacted back then. I knew she was coming to her senses. At least, I hoped so.

"Damn. He, he basically. He basically saved me. If he hadn't of been at that bar. If he hadn't have been right there, no one would've known. They would've raped me. Oh, Squall. I feel _so_ horrible. I feel so _very_ horrible."

"Don't. It's okay. I, I think I owe you an apology. You know, you caught Zell and I in a, uh, weird situation. But it's not like that. I, I don't know. I'm sorry. Zell likes you. I know he does. He told me."

"Well, liking someone doesn't really mean anything," she said.

"Well, he wants you," I replied. "Seriously."

"Oh? Hmm. Well, I shouldn't be worrying about this right now. I have got to apologize to Zell. And to you, Squall. Oh, gosh. I have _got_ to apologize to you. I'm so sorry. For everything. I know I've been the third wheel in this. You and Zell would be off much better if I didn't have to tag along. I know that you and him are best friends. I'm just a girl."

"Don't say that. You're part of the team. The three musketeers. You can't abandon us now. We really do need you. And, don't worry. I. Zell and I, we aren't an item. I know that. I just. I don't know. He's got some kind of hold over me."

"You don't have to apologize for anything," she said. "You didn't do anything wrong. I'm the one who keeps holding onto thin air."

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"Well, I keep waiting for something that's never going to happen. Just because he wants me, that doesn't mean anything. Anybody can want anybody. That doesn't make it special. That doesn't leave a mark."

"I guess you're right. But I hate the feeling of us, just. Of us fighting over him. Don't you? I hate that feeling."

"I know. It's a complicated thing. I guess I could withdraw."

"No. We just have to wait. See what Zell wants."

"I'm sure he wants you," she said.

"Stop. Okay? Just stop, please. I think he wants both of us."

"Could that _really_ work out, though?"

"I don't know. We just need to take it day by day. Things will work out, somehow."

"I guess you're right. Besides, it's stupid to waste our time talking about this now. We need to get back to the hospital right away. I need to apologize to Zell."

"Alright."

And with that, we left the ice cream parlor and headed back to the hospital by foot.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

I smiled as I stood there, watching Quistis give Zell a friendly kiss on the lips. She'd just poured her heart out about everything. She apologized for seeming distant at times, for throwing a fit, for quitting the band out of spite. Zell and I both welcomed her back with open arms. Sure, it hurt just a tiny bit somewhere deep inside of me. It was so hard. I'd never really been in this kind of a situation before. Quistis and I _both_ wanted Zell. And the tricky thing was, I think he wanted both of us. Well, he wanted Quistis, at least. I wasn't too sure if he wanted me. I'd just given him a blowjob. But, to be honest, I don't think there's any twenty two year old out there who would turn down a blowjob, regardless of age. I let out a soft sigh, nodding. It would be a tricky thing. A _very_ tricky thing.

"Oh," Quistis murmured, smiling brightly. "I talked to the nurse when Squall and I were coming back up to your room. She said that you're going to be released tomorrow. Isn't that wonderful?"

Zell nodded, grinning up at Quistis. I smiled, folding my arms across my chest. That _was_ wonderful. I was so glad that Zell would be getting out tomorrow. It was tragic, seeing him in a hospital bed like this.

"I'm going to go grab a soda," Quistis said, walking towards the door. "You want anything, Squall?"

I shook my head, smiling politely at her. She returned the kind gesture and headed out the door.

After I heard her shut the door behind her, I walked over to Zell's bed and leaned against it, kneeling down to look at his beautiful face.

"Hey," he said, smiling at me. "Thanks for getting her. Talking some sense into her. I owe you, man."

"No," I murmured, shaking my head. "You don't owe me anything. I'm just glad you're okay. You're getting out tomorrow. That's great."

"Yeah," he said, and then surprised my by leaning forward a little bit and kissing me.

I opened my mouth, letting him slip his tongue inside. He massaged the inside of my mouth and I moaned into the kiss. He was _such_ a good kisser. If he could basically give me an orgasm with just a kiss, just imagine what he could do if he was fucking me.

After he drew away from the amazing kiss, he grinned at me, flashing his perky canines.

I smiled at him, tilting my head to the side a little bit.

"I'm _really_ glad you're getting out tomorrow," I said.

"Me too," he began. "I don't like hospitals at all. But why are _you_ so excited about it?"

I leaned forward until my mouth was at Zell's ear.

"Because," I whispered. "I want you to fuck me."

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Author's Notes: Well, I hope you enjoyed that one. I worked really hard on it, and I've got a couple of ideas going on in my head. I'm not too sure what's going to happen. I'm just so thankful that you guys enjoy this as much as I do. You people are the best fans _ever_. I mean that. Okay, I hope this chapter goes to your liking. Next chapter _might_ contain a lemon. A _graphic_ lemon. Hehe, I'm not sure. I'd love to write one, but I'll just have to see what kind of reviews I get. Alright, enough with my silly ramblings. Go on, go on. Please review. And thank you very much.


	7. Uh Oh, So, If I Really Get Creamed

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Otherworld

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Genre: Drama/Romance

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Classification: Epic

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Rating: R

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Pairings: Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall

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Warnings: AU, Alcohol Use, Drug Use, Language, Lemon

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Disclaimer: The _Final Fantasy VIII_ franchise is owned by Squaresoft

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AU. Zell is the lead singer for a rock band, but what happens when he becomes torn between the booze, the drugs, his bassist, and his drummer? [Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall]

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Author's Notes: Hello, how's everyone doing? I hope I'm still having people who enjoy this story. I actually wrote down some things I'd like to make possible. I have allot of ideas. Oh, and hopemia, I respect your opinion wholeheartedly. But it's, well, tricky. See, I simply consider Squall to be a little more submissive because in the game he's a little more calm, quiet, and taciturn. Zell was always the hyperactive, brash, brazen one. And with hyperactivity, along comes a strong desire for action. So, I figured that Zell would like to get that action any way he possibly could, and thus become a little more dominating. That's just my view on things, I hope you still enjoy my story. A very special thank you to everyone who's reading this story. It means so much to me. Alright, here's Chapter Seven. Please enjoy.

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Ch. 07

Uh Oh, So, If I Really Get Creamed

[Zell's P.O.V.]

It'd been a few days since I'd gotten out of the hospital. My bruises had pretty much healed. I was doing good. Things were looking really great up for us, you know. Xu had worked some shit out for Otherworld. After she found out we were experimenting with a little bit of electronica, she'd talked to a couple of suits in the business and got us a DJ who was popular for his techno. He'd done several gigs at different clubs. He remixed lots of songs, too. Some dude named Seifer.

So, that's how it was. We were in the studio, doing a final cut on our latest single. It'd taken us about two days to get it all worked out. It was pretty fucking sweet. Sure, it might seem kind of strange for a well renowned rock band to start fucking with techno, but I didn't really care. We were just experimenting, trying to get a few new elements. Besides, allot of our old shit had allot of high tech influences, anyway.

"Okay," Xu declared, clapping her hands together. "Let's cut this, alright? I'm really into this, I think it'll be a breakthrough. Everyone ready?"

I tapped the mic, giving her a nod and a grin.

Xu looked around the room, accepting everyone's nods as a definite answer. And with that, she gave it an, "Okay."

And at that moment, right then, right there. It happened. I finally felt, just, _in_ the music. And I'd done lots of gigs before, you know? But just, it felt so great in there. Even though this Seifer dude was kind of out there, I didn't mind it. I didn't let that get to me, because the music was all that mattered then. I didn't really care too much how the fans would accept it, because _I_ accepted it.

And then it started.

I heard that soft, calm, rippling techno music pour into the room. It was like music water, just a little bit dark. Quistis strummed on her bass ever so lightly, yet it let out almost destructive shockwaves of demonic noise. I drew in a cool breath, exhaling into the mic just as Squall started up a drum loop. I held the mic, closing my eyes as I listened to the sound. The sound of music. Seifer's light, dark techno melody. Quistis' catastrophic bass. Squall's smooth drum beat. The best thing was the fact that how well it blended when it was all together.

It was definitely a techno rock song, if there was such a thing. And the chorus hadn't even come yet. That's when the _real_ techno would come screaming through.

"Hahahaha," I breathed into the mic, my voice both soft _and_ hard. "I've said, 'Hahahaha.' And every dream's gone upstate. So, you've sworn on the good book that I'm an aftertaste. Let me cut a thin line, babe. But if you're on my side, you'll see me hangin' out at my graveside. And I'm sure that you've heard. 'Cause I don't believe you've got a plastic heart on your own account, it must be this life. And I think there're scars all over me that you've never seen. Maybe I'm just a mess of human with scars you've never seen, well."

And with that, the chorus came out long and hard, I held my breath for just a second, and the music turned into a savage storm. Almost a hypnotic kind of trance. Seifer's underground techno came out, pounding, almost demonic. Quistis' destructive bass came out as devilish, with horrible growling noises that belonged in the darkness. Squall's drum loop picked up a notch, pounding in with the electronica music. It was _amazing_.

"And I'm a void, every single time," I sang into the mic, my voice smooth but rough. "The blood from the bloodiest scar. And this void I've become, ha. And I'm a void, you keep sucking me, and sucking me into something I shouldn't be. You don't know the hold you have over me. And this void I've become, ha. Yes, this void I've become, ha."

Then Quistis' bass kind of exploded out of the techno music, giving the bridge a harder rock feel, with little techno backbeats creating tiny worlds of electronica. Hell, even Squall's drum loop got a rockier edge.

I grabbed the mic, holding it to myself, almost screaming into it, the lyrics really getting to me.

"You said, 'It's better than a maybe,'" I cried. "You kill me, anytime, anyway! And I'm coughin' my blood up, every time you kiss me! Oh, I swear! Oh, I swear, that's it!"

And just then, the music died down. It was practically silence, after such an angry mess. Now it was nothing but my tragic voice singing against the tiny techno loop playing in the background, ever so lightly.

"My world's goin' gray," I sang. "And I'd hate to wave goodbye. It's just gray. Don't make me do this."

I let out a hard breath, and then the beat kind of just exploded outward, coming back to an awesome maelstrom of electronica, bass, and drums.

"Felt alright in my shade," I sang into the mic. "Oh, but there's gotta be a switch, a switch if I wanna get laid."

And then my favorite song came out, another duet style verse with me and Quistis. This time, I sang into the mic with a strong voice, while Quistis simply read the lyrics in the background, much like you'd read a story to a little kid. It was a really bad ass kind of overdub.

"Skies all messin' with cries in a dream for a scream, there's gotta be a piece," I sang wholeheartedly, with Quistis reading in the background, giving the verse an almost eerie feel. "How it was, how it is. Oh, it's just because this, save me, save you, save us gets me right here."

And Quistis let go of her mic, and it was just me singing, finishing up the final verse before the chorus rang out a final time.

"And I think there're scars all over me that you've never seen," I practically cried, actually at the verge of tears. "Maybe I'm just a mess of human with scars you've never seen, well."

And finally, that familiar blast of techno, bass, and drums poured into the room, the last part of the song. I kept the mic close to my lips and sang the chorus once more.

"And I'm a void, every single time," I sang into the mic. "The blood from the bloodiest scar. And this void I've become, ha. And I'm a void, you keep sucking me, and sucking me into something I shouldn't be. You don't know the hold you have over me. And this void I've become, ha. Yes, this void I've become, ha. It's this void I've become, ha. Hahahaha. I've said, 'Hahahaha.'"

And with that, Quistis pulled out a monstrous strum from her almost violent bass and Squall gave a final clash on his drums. Seifer's techno loop sifted into the background like sand, becoming nothing but silence. We'd finished the cut. Our new single was finished.

Our producer gave us a thumbs up sign from the other side of the glass, and we all let out sighs of relief. Even Xu. We'd really given it our all in that one. I could feel it. It wasn't just me. All of us really pulled together and worked our asses off. I had a really good feeling about that song. I knew it'd be good for Otherworld. I knew it was probably wrong to let my mind start playing with my libido after we'd just cut our latest single, but, I couldn't help it. I was twenty two years old, I couldn't tell my cock when to get hard. It just happened. That's how life was. You know, I'm really not a pervert. Not in the least. It's just, my body is like that. I can't explain it. I don't tell my body what to do, what not to do. It's not like some factory that you can control easily. It's got a mind of it's own, really. If you were a twenty two year old dude, you'd understand. That's just the way it goes.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

And so we started doing the video. Xu found an amateur named Irvine who was actually very good at what he did. He was a rising star in the world of music videos. There were several artists out there who were wanting his unique style. I'm not too sure of how, but Xu did it. She sweet talked him into picking us out of every other musician he could've possibly picked. I, for one, was _extremely_ grateful.

He ended up having this idea of us going to an abandoned club. He said that he could make some awesome effects with his men, computers, and a green screen. Xu kept promising that it'd be the greatest thing we'd ever seen, and so we went along. Besides, it's not like any of us had any skill at video making. We wouldn't be able to make anything better.

"Okay," Irvine said aloud, rubbing his hands together. "Everything ready? Equipment? Lightning. Alright, alright. Yup, seems good. Okay, Otherworld. You guys all set?"

I nodded as an answer, not daring to move from my strictly set position. I was in the corner, in a crawling position. At that time, I wasn't too sure where Zell or Squall were. I was too busy concentrating on my position. I didn't want to move, not even the littlest bit. I suppose I was just paranoid like that.

And I heard Irvine's voice bringing down the countdown, giving the symbol for action. I knew the cameras were rolling. I knew we were trying to make a cut. That's it, Quistis. That a girl. You _know_ you can do this. Don't mess it up. Just take it easy. That's right, nice and easy. It's going to work out.

And so I started crawling, not too sure when the camera aimed at me or not. Zell was the lead singer, so of course some of the main focus was on him. But we were a bit of an image band. Zell wasn't very much of a limelight thief, we all had our fair share. We were a team.

I felt just the slightest bit silly, crawling on the floor, wearing that fairly wicked outfit. A black spaghetti strap shirt with Japanese writing which bared just a little midriff and plenty of cleavage. A black skirt with tiny metal braces, almost like staples, along the sides. Black leather boots, with pin heels. A mess of bracelets, necklaces, and of course, heavy mascara. I crawled against the music that pounded through the army of strong stereos. We had to get fully surround sound. It was a necessity. That much, I knew.

And it went, on and on. I was alone in the dance area, it looked like. Maybe Squall was somewhere in the distance, but I had a feeling Zell wasn't around. Oh, stop it. You've got to concentrate on this. Quistis, that's right. Just keep working with the music. It's going to be alright.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

_Damn._ It'd taken long enough to get that damned video finished with. Phew. Usually, I'm a little bit more understanding in situations like this, but not this time. This was a piece of shit. It just got me, right here. We'd had to work our asses off for six hours, practically nonstop. Certain camera angles, certain poses, certain light effects. It was a mess. It was tricky.

But Xu had been right. Oh, yes. I knew I could count on her. I knew we all could count on her. Turns out Irvine really _did_ know what he was doing. He made us an amazing video for the latest single.

The video started off with weird, distorted, grainy images of the inside of the club. And every now and then, you'd kind of see these weird shadows of rave boys and girls clubbing to the beat. And whenever the weird images would kind of dissipate, it would switch between images of Squall and I. I would be crawling along the sometimes empty floor, looking into the camera at different angles, moving along to the beat. Squall was standing up, leaning with his back against the wall. He'd pound his fists into the wall to the beat, chopping up the images between Squall, me, and the unique looking clubbers. Whenever the chorus broke in, it showed Zell in a dingy looking restroom, staring into a foggy mirror. He was leaning against the sink, hitting the mirror. He'd sing to his reflection, and his reflection would kind of just stand there, smiling, sometimes looking to his side. It was really amazing. And this went on, respectively, until the verse with the overdub. Then it showed Zell's reflection in the cloudy mirror, only it kind of overlapped with a reflection of me they'd tossed in at the last minute. It looked abstract and grainy. It really was amazing, though. All of it blended together so nicely. It ended with Zell sitting in the corner of the restroom, holding his head in his hands.

I grinned and wrapped my arms around both Zell and Squall, bringing them closer for a group hug. I couldn't help myself. I just adored it so much. We'd really worked hard to bring out a fantastic song, and Xu found us a fantastic music video director to back us up. It was simply amazing.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

I couldn't believe it either. We'd gotten invited to fucking _TRL_ to talk about our video. In fact, it debuted at Number Three on the countdown. It'd been _extremely_ well received. It was a massive success for us. We were really glad. And TRL. It's not like we were fans of MTV or anything, but it was definitely a form of airtime, and so we were grateful. It was nice to know that people enjoyed it as much as we did. We'd given it our all, and it certainly showed.

Waiting backstage was kind of bothersome. We all knew that we were about to go out there, so the wait was kind of tense. We waited there, practically silent, just waiting for our cue.

Silence. _Shit._

"Come on," I thought to myself. "Say your damned introduction already. We need to get out there. This whole backstage thing is stupid. Whatever."

Finally, I heard the host giving us our long awaited introduction. Phew.

"Alright, everybody, they've been doing gigs since they were in high school," Carson Daly called out, loud enough for us to hear. "Back when I was just trying not to flunk. Okay, please welcome Otherworld!"

Zell led us Quistis and me out, instantly lighting the room with his trademark canine grin. Quistis gave a wide wave, smiling brightly. I gave a polite nod, smiling to the point where I think my teeth actually showed. Not too bad.

The audience screamed in approval, boys, girls, men, and women cheering loudly, almost insanely. But it was nice. It definitely boosted our egos a bit, at least.

"Alright, nice to see you guys," Carson said.

"Thanks, man," Zell said, running a hand through his blonde spikes.

"This song, _Void_, it's a big turn, isn't it?" Carson asked.

"Yes," Quistis began, smiling sweetly. "It's kind of tricky, Carson, because we were so used to doing rock, you know? The whole heavy bass, heavy drum thing. But we just decided that we'd like to experiment a little bit and ended up coming up with this really high tech song."

"Yeah," Zell added, nodding. "We'd spent allot of time in the clubs, kind of soaking in all the energy. So we kind of cut it on that aspect, you know."

"I hear it's gotten massive airplay already," Carson began. "In fact, it looks like it could very well be Song of the Year. Are you guys excited?"

"Of course!" Zell cried, grinning brightly. "Hell yes, man. Hell yes."

"It'd be about time!" Quistis added loudly, laughing softly.

"Alright, well I'm glad you guys decided to stop by," Carson said, giving us all a polite nod. "Really glad to hear you guys are getting what you deserve."

"Thanks," I murmured, forcing a smile.

"Oh, thank you so much." Quistis said. "It's been an honor."

"Alright, everybody," Carson began. "Otherworld!"

We heard another eruption of applause, and after flashing a few friendly grins, we walked back into the sanctuary of backstage.

I know I'd been quiet during that entire ordeal, but it didn't matter to me. I was kind of shy in front of a big crowd like that. When we were performing, it really wasn't bad. But we weren't performing then, we were just giving an appearance to boost our chances of making it Number One on the TRL Countdown. But with the way Carson was talking, it seemed like we didn't even need to show up. Seemed like were doing pretty damned good, with or without that appearance.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

The night after our TRL appearance, I guess we all kind of decided to celebrate a little bit. Quistis and Xu ended up going with Seifer to McDonald's to grab a burger. Then I think they were going to try and pick up Selphie and even hit the clubs a little, I don't really know.

But Zell and I had decided to stay home. Not because we were boring or anything, but because we just felt like taking it easy that night. It'd been a long week.

"So," Zell began, sitting back on the couch, taking a sip of his beer. "What's goin' on?"

"Nothing," I said, bringing my own can of beer to my lips. "It's kind of crazy. It's been a rushed week."

"Yeah," Zell agreed, running a hand across his forehead. "Allot of shit goin' on, man. Allot of shit. But, hey, it's worth it, right? I mean, this song's doin' really great. We'd already been a well known band before, we had a strong fan base. But I bet we've got fans now that we never dreamed of getting."

"You're probably right," I said, letting the cold brew slide down my throat smoothly. "I don't understand how Quistis can just rush out and go clubbing like that. I know her pretty blonde ass is just as exhausted as we are."

Zell laughed, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah," he began, taking a swig of his beer. "She's just trying to ignore it. She's probably got the hots for Seifer."

"No. I don't think so. I think she's got the hots for Selphie."

"No shit?"

"No shit."

He took a long swig of his beer.

"That's some _crazy_ shit. Some crazy fucking shit. I never knew Quistis bent that way."

_Oh, but I'd bend any way you'd want me to._

"Yeah," I said softly, looking at my beer. "It's kind of strange. But, whatever she wants. Besides, it's just a thought. Who knows if it's true?"

And with that, I heard a faint voice inside of my head, telling me something. Maybe it wasn't that faint after all, because it slowly became more and more audible. I could hear it clearly. It was telling me to go sit by Zell. To take a seat on the couch, right beside him. Normally, I would've brushed that little voice away. After all, I'd done it for years. But we were home alone. I was the slightest bit tipsy. And hell, I was horny. Hoping that Zell was too, I made my way to the couch. I took a seat right beside him, and he opened his legs wide, like most men did, rubbing his knee against mine. I turned my head, giving him a small smile.

"You've got a sexy smile," he said, tucking a messy brown bang behind my ear.

"Shut up," I said, shaking my head.

"Make me."

And with that, I leaned over, pressing my mouth directly up against Zell's, parting my lips. He slid his tongue inside, rubbing the roof of my mouth gently. It felt amazing. I moaned into his mouth, leaning up against him, basically forcing myself onto his lap. And I sat there, straddling his waist, moving my hands up to hold both sides of his face while he shoved his tongue into my mouth. Over and over. Yes, again. Mmm.

Neither one of us cared about our beers that had spilled. Neither one of us cared about the fact that the front door wasn't locked. None of that mattered. None of that meant anything.

And I knew, right there, I knew what both of us wanted. I could smell the scent of sweat. Of lust. Of sex. I pulled away from his fantastic kiss, only to grab his black wife beater and pull it up over his head, revealing his deliciously toned, slim, compact upper body. Those tasty arm muscles. Those sexy pecs. That hard six pack. That adorable happy trail. I moaned, just sitting there on his lap, staring at his body. Before I knew it, Zell had my arms in the air, taking my own shirt off. He marveled at my upper body, and I grinned at him. He didn't return the grin. He just sat there, staring at me, a sexy, serious expression on his face. Was that lust in his eyes? Mmm, I hoped so.

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[Third Person's P.O.V.]

Zell and Squall collapsed onto the blonde's soft bed, their tongues intertwined in a dance of intense pleasure. Squall desperately fumbled with Zell's belt. He tried again and again, but because both of them were so horny, it took him four tries to finally get the damned thing unbuckled. Squall quickly pulled the spiky haired blonde's baggy jeans down and was happy to see that his big, hard cock was already peeking out of his blue silk boxers. Squall's mouth practically watered.

He pulled Zell's boxers off, then moved his head down, opening his mouth, extending his tongue outwards. He gently caressed Zell's thick shaft, earning a moan from the blue eyed rock star. He licked it again, even moaning himself, almost bringing _himself_ to orgasm from just licking Zell's cock. He started playing with the blonde's dark pubic hair, moving his tongue up, wrapping it around the head. He massaged Zell's balls with his thumbs, causing Zell's breathing to become hard and fast.

"Baby," he breathed. "I'm 'bout to cum. Stop, baby. Stop."

Squall gave Zell's dick a final lick and then stood up, looking into his beautiful blue eyes. He smiled and then Zell practically dived at him, pinning the lithe brunette underneath his compact body.

Squall moaned in surprise when Zell quickly made work of his leather pants, tossing him off of the bed. Zell grinned at the sight of Squall's erect cock peeking out behind his shiny black boxers. Zell grabbed them by the waistline and then pulled them down, off of Squall's legs and tossed them off of the bed.

He looked down at Squall's dick. It wasn't as big as his, but it was a nice size. Zell grabbed Squall's waist and then moved down, wrapping his mouth around the head of his dick, earning a soft moan of pleasure.

"Oh, Zell," Squall practically breathed. "Mmm."

Zell moved his head down, taking all of Squall's cock into his mouth. He ran his tongue alongside the shaft, feeling Squall's body convulse beneath him.

"Zell," Squall moaned. "I'm gonna cum."

Zell pulled away from Squall's cock, grinning at the brunette. Squall sat up a little bit, looking at the blonde's handsome face.

"Zell," he nearly breathed. "I want you to fuck me."

Zell nodded, grinning broadly. He reached over to his nearby nightstand and grabbed some hair gel. It was kind of juvenile, but it would have to do. Besides, it's not like either one of them would be complaining.

Zell rose up on his knees, sitting back on his calves. He was about to squirt some into his own hand, but then he came up with a better idea.

"Give me your hand," Zell said.

Squall held his palm out, not daring to give him any argument.

Zell poured a generous amount of hair gel into Squall's open palm, and then tossed it off of the bed.

"Aight," Zell nearly panted. "Put it on my cock."

Squall nodded, sliding over to the sexy rock star. Squall put his dry hand in the mess of hair gel, getting both of them nice and slick. Then he wrapped them around the head of Zell's dick and slid them down, all the way down his shaft. Then he brought them back up, and down again, basically giving Zell a hand job. Zell sat there, on his knees, breathing heavily.

"Aight," he finally breathed. "I'm gonna fuck you, baby."

Squall nodded, lying back, spreading his legs eagerly.

"No," Zell said, shaking his head. "Bend over. Doggy style."

Squall let out a moan of delight and then turned over, with his stomach on the bed. Then he rose up, got on all fours, and arched his back.

Zell walked on his knees to Squall's eager ass and put his hands on his slender hips.

"You ready?" he asked, his voice rugged.

Squall nodded his answer.

Zell's fingertips nearly stabbed into Squall's waist as he pushed forward, slowly, sliding into the amazing warmth that was Squall's tight ass.

"Oh, _fuck_," Zell moaned, nearly collapsing onto Squall's back. "You're so fucking tight."

Squall just let out a long, low moan, slowly pushing his hips into Zell's dick, earning a soft moan from the blonde.

"Fuck me," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Please, fuck me."

Zell pulled back just a little and then thrust himself into Squall's tight ass, all the way to the hilt.

"Ah!" Squall screamed. "Yeah, that's it, Zell. Fuck me."

Zell dug his fingertips into Squall's hips while he slammed his cock into him again and again. He pulled himself all the way out, until there was nothing but the head of his dick left in Squall's ass, and then came back in, nearly impaling the brunette.

Squall arched his back at a difficult angle, grabbing onto the bedspread, moving his hips in rhythm with Zell.

"Yeah," Zell grunted. "That's right, baby. That's right. You like this, huh? You like me fucking you?"

"Yes!" Squall screamed, nearly collapsing from Zell's cock. "Yes!"

This only drove Zell further, as he stabbed Squall's hips with his fingertips. He started rocking inside of Squall's tight ass. Quicker. Harder. He pulled back a final time, completely coming out of Squall's ass, only to drive his cock all the way back in, all the way to the hilt, sending a river of sticky, white hot cum deep into Squall's warm ass.

"Zell!" Squall screamed, shooting his load all over the blue bedspread. "Oh, Zell."

And Squall collapsed, covering his stomach with the cum he'd just shot.

Zell didn't even bother pulling out. He collapsed right there, still inside of Squall's ass, landing on the brunette's back.

"Oh, _baby_," Zell breathed. "Oh, _baby_. That was _amazing._"

Squall nodded, his forehead drenched with sweat.

And the two of them just lie there for ten minutes, exhausted from their hardcore sexual encounter. Both of them knew they'd have to get clean and make everything look okay before Quistis and Xu showed back up, but they didn't care at that moment. They'd worry about that in a few moments. They just soaked up the last bits of that moment, draining it for all it was worth.

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Author's Notes: Phew. How was that? I'm sorry about the whole "Third Person's P.O.V." thing on the lemon. I simply couldn't do a lemon in "First Person's P.O.V." I'm sorry, it just would've gotten a little bit awkward for me. I hope it didn't ruin the story. Oh, I hope people still enjoy this story. I'm an emotional person, so please be gentle. All reviews are greatly appreciated. I thank each and every one of those who are enjoying this story as much as I am. And once again, phew.


	8. And I'm So Sad

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Otherworld

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Genre: Drama/Romance

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Classification: Epic

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Rating: R

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Pairings: Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall

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Warnings: AU, Alcohol Use, Drug Use, Language, Lemon

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Disclaimer: The Final Fantasy VIII franchise is owned by Squaresoft

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AU. Zell is the lead singer for a rock band, but what happens when he becomes torn between the booze, the drugs, his bassist, and his drummer? [Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall]

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Author's Notes: Hello? Is anybody out there? I'm terribly sorry about everything. I know it's inexcusable to take such a ridiculously long time updating, but I have my reasons. First, my girlfriend was recovering from her recent car accident. She had to get an operation and it would take up to four months for her to recover fully. We decided it would be best that I don't hang around her too much so she could concentrate on the therapy. After all, me being around would just be painful to both of us. And during those four months, she sure did recover. She recovered fully, good for her. But during those four months, she was cheating on me. And she had the nerve to take a picture of it and send it to me. And it was very painful. Very heart wrenching. I'd been with her for a year. I was going to ask her to marry me. It was very hard to swallow down. Regardless, here I am. Just a sixteen year old dude getting over heartbreak. If this chapter seems more dramatic than some of the others, I'm sorry. Maybe it'll be a good thing. Anyway, I apologize humbly for the long break. But I needed it. And here's Chapter Eight. It's been a long time since I've written on this story, but I hope you will still enjoy it.

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Ch. 08

And I'm So Sad

[Zell's P.O.V.]

_What the fuck were you thinking, Dincht? Are you a faggot? Did you like it? Of course you did. You're fucking disgusting. You know that, right? You're fucking disgusting._

I just lied there, staring at the ceiling. Squall was sleeping next to me, his chest heaving lightly with his soft breaths. I sat up, rubbing my forehead. And I just sat there, with my knees to my chest, rubbing my forehead.

I was a rock star. This was me. This was my life. The booze. The drugs. The sex. This was all it was. This was everything. I woke up everyday to this. And right then, everything felt _so_ shallow. Like there weren't enough platinum albums. Like there aren't enough sold out shows. Like there weren't enough ecstatic fans. No matter what I told myself, everything still felt shallow. And I cried.

Through my tearstained eyes, I looked at my wall. My wall of posters of everybody who ever inspired me. The Beatles. The Rolling Stones. Tori Amos. Led Zeppelin. Jimi Hendrix. Bjork. Pink Floyd. Lynyrd Skynyrd. Bon Jovi. Chevelle. The Red Hot Chili Peppers. Type O Negative. Elvis Presley. Lisa Marie Presley.

I guess I was looking for an answer. But none of them ever gave me one. With tears streaming down my face, I got out of bed. I walked out to the balcony. I closed the door softly behind me, not wanting to wake Squall up.

The cold night air instantly hit me, sending chills up my spine. I walked, barefoot, across the cold cement over to the railing. I leaned against it, looking out at the night sky.

There were so many stars out that night. There were so many stars, but not enough sky. There just wasn't enough sky. And I couldn't sort _anything_ out in my head. I was a fucking mess.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" I whispered, wrapping my arms around my chest. "This isn't the real me. I'm a happy guy. I'm never sad. This just doesn't feel like me. I don't even trust myself anymore."

Everything was fucked up. I couldn't deny that. I was lonely. Fucking around with two people might be fun for a while, but it just ends up hurting someone in the end. And all this time, I thought it was going to be Squall or Quistis who got hurt. But that's not how it was. I was the one who ended up getting hurt. I just couldn't choose. And it wasn't my place to. I couldn't bare the thought of hurting either one of them. It was tearing me up inside.

Was anything _really _worth it? Did I _really_ enjoy waking up in the morning? Was I _really_ happy with my life? Did I _really_ want to see what tomorrow brings?

_…No._

And I knew what I meant then. And I knew what had to be done.

I walked back inside, once again closing the door gently. I walked slowly, quietly, careful not to wake Squall up. Then I walked down the hallway and into the living room. I put in a certain CD in the stereo. Then I selected the song that had played on the radio when Quistis and I shared our first kiss. I smiled vaguely at the wonderful memory. I put the song on repeat, wanting it to be the last thing I ever heard. Wanting that wonderful memory to be the last thing in my mind when I. When I had to go. I put the song on repeat, folded my arms across my stomach, and walked into the bathroom.

I turned the light on and instantly regretted it. I squinted, amazed at how bright the light was. After adjusting my sight I walked over to the sink, staring at my reflection in the mirror. 

"Damn," I muttered. "I look like shit."

And it was true. My hair was a mess. My eyes were red. My body was cold. I tried to smile, just one last time. But I couldn't even do that. And that sucked, because I wanted to see my smile once more before I did _it,_ but I guess it's okay. It's not like it'll change anything.

I opened the medicine cabinet, knocking everything into the sink. And I had to laugh. It was ridiculous. But this is how it had to be. And I knew that.

I started taking pills. All kinds of pills. Prescriptions. Antibiotics. Pain relievers. Everything. The faucet was still running when I fell, hitting my head on the sink on my way down.

It hurt a little, but was probably worse than it felt. Because when I landed, I could see blood on the floor. My blood. And I just laid there. Crying. Bleeding. With more than thirty different pills in my stomach, I laid there. And I felt _so_ pathetic.

I could hear the song from the living room. I listened to the words. I remembered that night. We were both fifteen. Sitting on my bed, half studying for an upcoming chemistry exam. And I'd kissed her. And I'd meant it. And if I could kiss her once more tonight, I'd mean it now.

But I don't have the strength. I was still crying. And I was definitely still bleeding. And my stomach hurt really badly. I coughed, my body convulsing. And I spit up blood, causing my stomach to contort in disgust. I gave out a little yelp of pain, holding myself tightly. And I cried even harder. My eyelids were getting heavy. And I knew this was it. I hugged myself, whispering Quistis' name. Squall's name. And then I remembered my disgust. My shame. I tried to keep my eyes from closing on me. Because I knew once they closed, they wouldn't open again. That would be the end for me. But my eyelids were way too heavy. And with a weak sigh of sadness, I gave into reality. My eyes closed. And everything went black.

_"I heard broken footsteps. Was that you limping? Well, I wish that I had spent just a little bit more time with you. Tears on my ceiling. Weren't you watching? Well, I guess none of us will ever know what comes after this. You're still lovely. You were lovely then. All that you had to endure, I guess nobody noticed it. I know your resemblance. It's out there walking. And I wanted you to know that I haven't forgotten. When they tried to make you look broken. But not while I'm living. 'Cause I wanted you to know that I heard what you said when it was raining. You're still lovely. You were lovely then. All that you had to endure, I guess nobody noticed it. You made me. And I love you. And did you know nothing has changed? And now everyone, they notice it. Everyone notices."_

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

I'd had a great time at the club tonight. But it felt a little awkward. After all, Squall, Zell, and I were a team. It was strange for me to go out without either of them. Regardless, what was done was done. And I was on my way back home. I looked at the little radio clock, surprised that it was already three in the morning. It didn't feel that late.

"Quistis?"

"Yes?"

I looked over, offering Xu a small smile. She glanced at me for a second, smiling, only to look back at the road.

"You're awfully quiet tonight," she said. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I guess not," I replied. "It just felt strange going out without Squall or Zell, that's all."

"Oh, I see. Well, that's understandable. But don't worry. We'll be home in just a few minutes."

"Yes."

And I looked out the window, watching the blackness as we moved along. Something really didn't feel right. Was it really just the fact that neither Squall nor Zell came with us tonight? I wasn't sure. But I felt kind of sad, all of the sudden. I let out a soft sigh.

The little white lines on the side of the road went on and on. Forever. Always the same. Never fine. Never change. What kind of an existence would that be? To never. To never _really_ be yourself. I stared at them from the passenger side window, feeling sorry for an inanimate object. Luckily Xu didn't notice, because I didn't know what I'd tell her if she caught me thinking up such silly things.

To never. To never _really_ be yourself. Is that my life? Am I just like those white lines? Is that me down there, not being the real me? What kind of life am I living? Am I _really_ content? Can I actually say that I don't have any regrets? Is everything going well for me? I didn't even know anymore. I felt weird that night. And I couldn't really blame it on Squall and Zell. It was all in me. It was definitely my fault.

And for the rest of the ride back home, I just sat there, watching the white lines show us the way.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

_"You're still lovely. You were lovely then. All that you had to endure, I guess nobody noticed it. You made me. And I love you. And did you know nothing has changed? And now everyone, they notice it. Everyone notices." _

Bittersweet memories of a certain first kiss came into my mind. Why was the stereo on at this hour? And of all songs, why was _that_ song playing? Something didn't feel right.

"What's the stereo on for?" Xu inquired as she shut the door behind us.

"I don't know," I admitted. "Squall or Zell probably forgot that it was on. But I'll turn it off. We need to get to sleep. It's late."

"Yes," Xu agreed. "See you in the morning."

"See you then."

And with that, Xu walked down the hall and into her room. And I walked in the opposite direction, intend 

"Goodnight," Xu said, smiling at me before she headed off to her room.

"Goodnight," I said.

And then I walked over to the stereo, turning it off. I turned around and could see that the bathroom light was on. I walked into the bathroom, intent on just turning the light off, but stopped dead in my tracks when I saw what was in there. Zell, lying on his side, a cut on his temple, with a pool of blood around his head, the faucet water running, and countless bottles of medicine lying in the sink.

I gave out a bloodcurdling scream, a thousand emotions raging within me. I ran over to Zell's body, holding him up, cradling him in my arms. I placed two fingers below his ear, noticing that his pulse was extremely weak.

"Oh, Hyne!" I cried. "Oh, _Hyne!_ Xu! Squall! Somebody, call 911! Zell tried to kill himself!"

I didn't pay much attention to Xu or Squall as they fumbled about. Calling 911. Turning off the water. Cleaning up Zell's blood. I just sat there, holding Zell in my arms.

"Zell," I whispered, my tears falling onto his beautiful face. "Zell, I'm so sorry. Please. Please, stay with me. Zell, please."

"Quistis," he said softly, smiling sadly up at me. "Our song. I had our song on. Earlier. I guess it got turned off."

"Zell, I'm so sorry. Why did you do this? Why did you try to kill yourself?"

"I got sad."

"Zell. Oh, Zell. I love you."

And then he fainted, once again, in my arms.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

The blame was all on me. I couldn't wash it off. I'd washed my hands fifteen fucking times tonight, and it was still all there. If only I wouldn't have fallen asleep. If only I wouldn't have fallen asleep, I could've stopped him. And we wouldn't be in this predicament. We wouldn't be in this situation that we've all grown way too accustomed to.

I folded my arms across my chest, watching Zell's chest heave up and down from under the thin hospital blankets. The doctors had already pumped his stomach. There would be minimal scarring, but with today's technology, the scars would fade within a few days.

"Now," the doctor said, ushering Quistis and I to the door. "Let's let him rest. He's gone through allot."

"Yeah," I muttered, stepping out first.

"It's tricky," the doctor began, holding his clipboard to his chest. "We'll have to let him answer a few questions tomorrow. We'll detect how serious his depression is, and if it's very serious, we'll have to send him to Suicide Watch."

"What?" I whispered, not believing what I was hearing. "What the hell do you mean? Zell has depression? No, you can't say that. Just one time. You know, just one time doesn't make him depressed. It's the first fucking time!"

"Do you want to sit and wait around for a second time?" he asked.

I shut my mouth.

"It's going to be fine. Your friend will be okay. We'll ask him some questions tomorrow, see how it goes. If all goes well, we'll put him on some medication and have him stay here for a day or two. If it's serious, we'll send him to Suicide Watch."

"What do they _do_, exactly, in Suicide Watch?" Quistis asked.

"They have an interchangeable all day, all morning staff that will constantly watch suicidal patients. They try different, more potent medications for the more serious cases. But they'll usually only be there for a few days until they find a medication that does the job. The longest I've ever seen a patient stay at Suicide Watch is three weeks."

"Just the thought of that place sounds scary," Quistis murmured. "But I guess that's what'll have to happen if Zell _really_ wants to kill himself. I had no idea."

"Yes," the doctor said. "Well, we'll see. You two should get some rest. It's almost dawn. Come back in the morning, I'm sure your friend will be awake by then."

"No," I said.

"What?"

"I said, 'No.' We need to be there when he wakes up."

"What do you mean? Why?"

"If we aren't there when he wakes up, he'll probably be very scared. After all, he just tried to kill himself tonight. But if we, his friends, are there, he might feel at least a little better."

"Hmm. I'm not sure."

"Please?" Quistis chimed in. "It's a simple request. We won't disturb him, I promise."

"Well, fine," the doctor said. "But if any nurses report strange behavior coming from that room, I'll be sure to contact the authorities."

"Yeah, yeah," I said.

And with that, Quistis and I walked back into Zell's room, the doctor watching our every move. Then we shut the door behind us.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

"I'm so scared for him," I whispered, sitting on the couch, holding my knees to my chest. "And I'm guilty, huh? If I would've been awake, I could've stopped him.

"No," Quistis said quietly, curling up in the easy chair. "Don't say that, Squall. It isn't your fault. Zell wanted to do it, so he did. Now we just have to find a way to prevent him from ever wanting to do that again. If you're going to be blaming yourself, I might as well blame myself for going out tonight. It's really nobody's fault."

"I guess you're right. Well, all we can do is hope for the best. I hope everything will be better in the morning."

"Me too. Goodnight, Squall."

"Goodnight, Quistis."

And after a few moments, and a few quiet tears, I fell asleep.

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Author's Notes

Isn't it funny how my chapters just keep getting shorter and shorter? I'm sorry about that. Anyway, it's been a very long time. And I know this is an extremely lame chapter, especially after such a long break. But it'll have to do for now. I'm very sorry. I hope there are still people who actual read this piece of shit story of mine. Okay, sorry about all my melodrama. I'm still kind of venting because of that bitchy ex girlfriend of mine. Anyway, please review.


	9. Drive All Night

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Otherworld

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Genre: Drama/Romance

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Classification: Epic

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Rating: R

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Pairings: Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall

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Warnings: AU, Alcohol Use, Drug Use, Language, Lemon

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Disclaimer: The Final Fantasy VIII franchise is owned by Squaresoft

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AU. Zell is the lead singer for a rock band, but what happens when he becomes torn between the booze, the drugs, his bassist, and his drummer? [Zell x Quistis, Zell x Squall]

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Author's Notes: First off, I'd like to thank everyone for the wonderfully kind reviews. Your words of support really mean allot to me. But little did I know that when I was writing Chapter Eight, the worst was yet to come. My ex girlfriend really made my life miserable Sunday. In fact, it was the worst day of my life. It was so fucking dramatic. And she ended up getting drunk. But, fuck it. I'm over her bitch ass. I think I'm doing a pretty good job updating, right? Actually, this story would've been updated yesterday but I accidentally deleted it. But it wasn't a big deal, because I already knew everything that I had typed. Besides, it doesn't hurt to revise a little. Oh, and about Zell and Quistis' song from Chapter Eight? That song doesn't belong to me. That song is _Nobody Noticed It_ by Lisa Marie Presley. I just thought I'd mention it in here since I forgot to mention it in Chapter Eight. And I don't want anyone on my ass for trying to steal it or something. Anyway, enough with my relentless bullshit. Here's Chapter Nine. I hope you'll enjoy it.

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Ch. 09

Drive All Night

[Zell's P.O.V.]

_"Maybe if I liked being alone I could give you your life back and let you go. Maybe if I got it together again I wouldn't be belligerent and such a princess. Maybe the reason I got needy is because I never had real devotion. Maybe I criticized your loyalty because it wasn't given to me. Do you know who I am? It's me in here with the doctor and the crowd around me. They are my chosen family. Tell me I'm important. But what about them standing there? They don't get it. They're smiling at me, I guess they're used to this. Maybe I'll stop wondering when I'm gonna die. Maybe then I'll stop holding so hard to my life. Maybe next time I see my reflection my mind won't be with me. Maybe my brutal honesty is only because I can get away with it. Maybe I'll squash you relentlessly because you tried to crush me. Do you know who I am? It's me in here with the doctor and the crowd around me. They are my chosen family. I guess you're not important. But what about you standing there? You can't get in. You're smiling at me, I guess you're used to this. Please get out of my way, I don't like fucking waiting. You need to bring me my food first, I'm not the one you wanna starve. And maybe you think you're my friend. And maybe one day you'll give a shit about what I am. Do you know who I am? It's me in here with the doctor and the crowd around me. They are my chosen family. Tell me I'm important. But what about you standing there? You can't get in. You're smiling at me, I guess you're used to this."_

I woke up, perfectly unaware of where I was, and with a slight discomfort in my stomach. Instinctively clutching my abdomen, I sat up a little, looking at the white walls around me. It looked as if they were plotting to crash in on me sometime in the near future. I let out a soft sigh, wondering why this place looked familiar. Although not my room, I knew I had _definitely_ been here before. And something in my head was telling me it wasn't a good place to be.

"You're finally up," a familiar voice said.

I looked up, smiling weakly at Squall.

"Yeah," I murmured. "I guess so. What is this place?"

"The hospital."

"Huh? What am I doing here?"

"…Something happened last night."

"_What_ happened last night?"

"…You tried to kill yourself," he said, barely above a whisper.

"What? Why would I try to do something like that?"

"I don't know. But everything's better now. You don't have anything to worry about."

"Where's Quistis?"

"She's in the lobby. I think she called your mother to tell her."

"What?!" I yelled. "Why the _fuck_ did she go and do that?! That little fucking bitch! Who gave her that fucking right?!"

"I'm sorry," Squall murmured. "She didn't know that you didn't want your mother to know."

"The stupid fucking bitch! I should totally fucking punch her right in the mouth!"

"Calm down. She didn't know. Really."

"Whatever," I spat. "I need a few moments to myself."

"…Are you sure you'll be okay?" he inquired.

"Yeah."

"…Well, alright. I think I'll go downstairs and get a coffee. Your breakfast from earlier is on the nightstand if you get hungry. If you need anything, just call for a nurse. Take it easy, okay?"

I just nodded an answer, watching as Squall left the room, shutting the door behind me. And then something in me snapped. Something buried deep inside of me. Something that I preferred in there. Something that wasn't _supposed_ to be outside.

Blinking at the angry tears in my eyes, I yanked the IV out of my hand, barely noticing the pain as the needle was forced out of my skin. I threw it to the floor, climbing out of bed, almost instantly slamming my foot into the confusing heap of medical equipment. If I hadn't been so fucking pissed off, I knew it would've hurt like hell. But I didn't care. Even if I felt that pain it wouldn't compare to the pain I felt inside.

I grabbed the EKG machine, glared at that annoying green line, and threw it to the floor. It landed with a delightful _crash_. Then I kicked it. And I kicked it again. And again. And I could see drops of blood. I knew that I was banging my foot up. But I didn't give a shit.

I turned around, slamming my other foot hard into the bed frame. I felt a sudden jolt shoot up my leg, but I was too enraged to pay attention to it. I grabbed the pillow with both of my hands, breathing heavily, still blinking at angry tears. I ripped the pillow in two, laughing just a little. The white feathers trailed to the floor, landing next to the mess of medical equipment.

I picked up the broken EKG machine and slammed it into the floor, rendering it completely useless. And then I punched the wall. Hard. I could actually see the wall crack around my knuckles. Little red streams of blood came trickling down my knuckles. But I didn't feel it. All I could feel was the overpowering hurt within me.

And I collapsed. I sat there, on the floor, with my back against the wall. I had my head in my hands, with a shallow smile on my face, and a thousand thoughts in my head.

Then the door opened and I heard a little shriek of surprise.

"Zell!" a familiar voice cried. "You're hurt! What happened?!"

It was Quistis.

"It's none of your business," I spat.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I _mean_ it's _none_ of your _fucking_ business."

"Zell, don't say things like that."

"I can say whatever the fuck I want," I cursed. "After all, you can go and call my fucking mother whenever the hell you feel like it."

"What?" she inquired. "Is that what this is all about?"

"Just leave me the fuck alone."

"Zell, I'm sorry."

"Leave. Me. The. Fuck. Alone."

"…Alright," she said softly. "But I really am sorry."

And with that she left, not bothering to shut the door behind her. And I just sat there, with my head in my hands, trying to convince myself that everything would get better.

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[Zell's P.O.V.]

And the nurses came. And they screamed at what they saw. And they fixed me up. And the doctors came. And they bitched at me. And they threatened to send me somewhere else. But after they found out I had money it was an entirely different story. It's funny, how shallow the world has become.

Lunch came. But I wasn't hungry. I only ate a few bites so Squall would be happy. Still, something didn't feel right. And I lied there, only half aware of what was going on in my room. I felt like shit. I guess it was a number of things. The fear that all the tabloids would be talking shit. The stress from everything that had been happening. The realization that Quistis and I would probably never talk again.

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[Quistis' P.O.V.]

_"Out on the road between nowhere and hell, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in you. But they can't believe I still want you around. Hung on a line between addiction and this. Oh, I can't believe you said I hurt you again. But I can't afford to let you get away. And I cannot take the darkness when you stay. You're all I see, yeah. Oh, and it's definitely my fault. You're all I see, yeah. Oh, but don't come near me at all. How many roads between your world and mine? How many broken doors and how many fights? I change my furniture to make it go away. But I'm still overwhelmed at how much space you take. You're all I see, darling. Oh, and it's definitely my fault. You're all I see, yeah. Oh, but don't come near me at all. And I can't have you right now. And I can't get it right now. You're all I see, darling. Oh, and it's definitely my fault, yeah. You're all I see, yeah. Oh, but don't come near me at all. This is, this is definitely my fault. Hung on a line between addiction and this. I can't believe that I have hurt you again."_

"Quistis!" Xu cried, giving me a surprised astonishment as I shut the living room door behind me. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to stay at the hospital?"

"I was going to," I said, not wanting to tell her the actual truth. "But I came back. I have a slight stomachache. I suppose I caught something at the hospital."

"I'm sorry. That's too bad. You should get some rest."

"Yes," I agreed. "I think I'll go lie down."

"Good."

And with that, I smiled slightly at my brunette friend, walked into my room, and shut the door behind me.

"Hyne," I whispered. "I really messed up this time, didn't I?"

And I knew I did. There was no going back now. It was all too messy. And there was nothing I could do. I'd already apologized for calling Zell's mother. That's all I could possibly do. And that didn't mean anything to him. He really hated me now.

I let out a soft sight, walking over to my bed. I collapsed onto the soft mattress, hugging a pillow to my chest. I looked outside as the rain poured down. And I felt like the rain. It was kind of depressing. There were too many emotions and not enough me. And I cried into my pillow, feeling so _incredibly_ stupid.

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

_"I feel so nice just when you're here. The reason why is not so clear. And I knew the first time when you told me I'd fall in love just as you'd hold me. And now I wanna stay at your side tonight. I wanna watch you as the sun lights up your eyes. I wanna know when you wake first thing you see is me. 'Cause you're all the things I prayed that I'd meet. Ride, ride this wave of mine. There're brighter things out on the other side. Ride, ride this wave of mine. I know that things are gonna be alright. Moments, they come and then they go. You'll feel so high and then before you know. I could've sworn our future was set in stone, but I guess some things are just as well for God to know. So now I concentrate on turning wrong to right. I'm gonna let go of things I held inside so tight. I'm gonna live and let forgive things said in spite. So clear out the smoke and usher in the light. Ride, ride this wave of mine. There're brighter things out on the other side. Ride, ride this wave of mine. I know that things are gonna be alright."_

"Hey," I said, shutting the door behind me after grabbing a quick bite to eat. "You're looking better. Did you enjoy your dinner?"

Zell flashed me a small grin, shrugging slightly.

"It was decent, I guess."

"That's good."

I walked over to him, sitting on the side of his bed. He smiled at me, his beautiful blue eyes sparkling ever so slightly. And I returned the smile, rubbing his forearm gently.

"I'm glad you're okay," I said.

"Thanks. But why do you care so much about me?"

"What?"

"Why do you care so much about me?"

"Because," I murmured.

"Because why?" he inquired, intent on hearing the full answer.

"Just because."

"That's bullshit."

"I'm not sure if you really want to know."

"Go for it."

"…Because I love you," I admitted, lying down, resting my head against his chest.

"What?" he asked, slowly wrapping his strong arms around me.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, blushing furiously.

"No," he said, tightening his grip around me. "It's cool. But, uh, can you do me a favor?"

"What's that?"

"Get me out of this place."

"What?" I inquired. "What do you mean?"

"Get me out of here. The hospital. I don't wanna be here anymore."

"But where do you wanna go? Do you wanna go back home?"

"No," he said. "Not just yet, anyway. Just drive me somewhere."

"I wouldn't know where to drive," I admitted.

"Anywhere."

"…I don't know.

"Please?"

"…Okay," I said. I'll do it."

_Anything for you, Zell._

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[Squall's P.O.V.]

It had taken a little effort, but Zell and I got away from the hospital without too much trouble. And we drove while the rain poured down, talking about the little things. It was simple. It was nice. Until we stopped on a back road outside of town. We sat there for a little while, in silence, listening to the wonderful _pit, pat, pit, pat _of the rain falling outside.

"…Can I ask you something?" I asked him, my voice quavering just a bit.

"Sure," he said.

"…What happened to your mother?"

"…I don't want to talk about it."

"Please?"

"No."

"Zell," I said. "It's okay. I'm here for you. I'm your friend. You can trust me. Besides, I'm sure it'll make you feel at least a little better if you talk about it."

"It's cool."

"No, it's not. You need to get it off your chest. Please."

"…She did stuff."

"What kind of stuff?" I inquired, albeit slowly.

"She beat me," he murmured. "And she did other stuff, too. She molested me. Can you believe that? My own fucking mother."

"…I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"Don't worry about it."

"But I _am_ worried about it," I said. "I wish there was something I can do."

"There is."

"What is it?"

"Keep loving me."

"…Always, Zell," I said. "Always."

I leaned over a little, rubbing the side of his handsome face. He looked down at me. And I looked up at him. I was practically sitting on his lap, still rubbing the side of his face. And then I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me close. And then he kissed me. And I kissed him back. Sweet, passionate, hungry kisses. All kinds of _wonderful_ kisses. And the two of us sat there in the front seat, making out as the rain continued to pour down outside.

_"Not saying not charmed at all. Not saying that you weren't worth the fall. But I was alone when I knew it was real. Down the canyon when I knew I had come to the line, through the dawn, to the light. To the time when you said you could drive all night. Drive all night. So I let crazy take a spin. And I let crazy settle in. I kicked off my shoes. Shut reason out. He said, 'First, let's just unzip your religion down.' Found that I, I craved it all. Saw me melt into your native shelter where you carve my name. Paper tigers scare me and came alive, through the dawn, to the light. To the time when you said you could drive all night. Drive all night. So I let crazy take a spin. And I let crazy settle in. I kicked off my shoes. Shut reason out. He said, 'First, let's just unzip your religion down.' So I let crazy pull me in. And I let crazy take his spin. I kicked off my shoes. Shut reason out. He said, 'First, let's just unzip your religion down. Heard that you were once temptation's girl.' And as soon as you have rearranged the mess in your head he will show up looking sane. Perfectly sane, if I know crazy."_

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****

Author's Notes: Did that suck? I hope it was okay. I worked pretty damn hard on it. I hope it's getting a little more romantic. Yes, I know I'm a bit of a pervert myself when it comes to writing, but the end of this chapter was kind of sweet. And I know many of you want more sex, right? Well, there might be some sex in Chapter Ten. I'll just have to see what kind of reviews I get. Yes, I'm an awful bastard. And as for the songs I used in this chapter, I'll give credit where it is due. _Important_ is by Lisa Marie Presley. _The Road Between_ is by Lisa Marie Presley. _Tsunami_ is by Res. _Crazy_ is by Tori Amos. Anyway, that's that. If you read Chapter Nine and enjoyed it, please leave a review.


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